Newcastle United fans are surely in dreamland at the moment, with their Magpies heroes in the driver’s seat now involving the ongoing Champions League race in the Premier League.
Sunday’s lunchtime kick-off versus Chelsea had all the ingredients of a high-stakes affair with both the Toon and the Blues heading into the game on 63 points each.
But, Eddie Howe’s men didn’t play with any nerves visible in their free-flowing game, meaning the Magpies are now sat in a pretty third position – only one point off Arsenal – after easing past Enzo Maresca’s men 2-0.
Both Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes would steal the limelight on the day as the Newcastle goalscorers, with the fantastic midfield pairing looking ready made for Champions League football off the back of their polished displays.
Tonali and Guimaraes stole the show
In such a tense affair, the best possible mood setter would be to score early on.
Tonali certainly felt that way anyway when he gifted Howe’s hosts the lead after just two minutes, with the former AC Milan maestro managing to tap home after an inviting delivery into the box fell charitably at his feet.
Away from sending the home masses into delirium with the opening strike of the day, Tonali would continue to keep plugging away centrally with his boundless energy, leading to the standout number eight winning three ground duels.
On top of that, he was also on the lookout for an assist to complement his goal with two key passes tallied up, but no such moment would arrive.
Instead, Dan Burn would turn provider when teeing up Guimaraes for Newcastle’s game-clinching second, with the popular Brazilian also showing off his varied game – much like Tonali – when winning three duels, while registering two more shots past his fabulous late effort looping over Robert Sanchez.
But, there is another sensational forward player for Howe’s side that hasn’t even been mentioned yet who is slowly but surely turning into Newcastle’s next iteration of Nolberto Solano with his expert eye for an assist.
Newcastle's new version of Solano
The now retired right winger would consistently dazzle Premier League defences with his trickery when donning Magpies black and white.
He would also pick up assists by the bucket-load to back up his memorable showboating, with Solano’s assist haul of 15 in league action during the 1999/2000 season yet to be topped, until potentially now.
Jacob Murphy amazingly only finds himself three short of Solano’s bumper total in the here and now, with his 12th assist of the Premier League season to date the cross that Tonali very kindly finished off.
It’s been a remarkable campaign for the 30-year-old so far, considering he had only picked up eight assists last season when he was sparingly used 21 times in league action due to injury concerns. Now, he’s as crucial as Tonali and Guimaraes are in Newcastle’s exciting hunt for European glory.
1. Alexander Isak
33
23
6
2. Jacob Murphy
33
8
12
3. Harvey Barnes
31
9
4
4. Anthony Gordon
32
6
5
5. Bruno Guimaraes
36
5
6
Staggeringly, only Alexander Isak is able to surpass Murphy for goals and assists this season in the Premier League for the Magpies, with the ex-Norwich City man certainly living up to his next Solano label more when powering home eight goals from 33 games. In total, the silky Peruvian would pick up 48 strikes on Tyneside.
Murphy will hope he can get near to that sizeable tally soon, with the hard-working yet skilful winger another gem playing out of his skin for the Toon as Champions League football possibly reappears.
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