Newcastle  2  Brentford  3



Following a quick-fire trio of away tests, a return to familiar surroundings brought no relief for Newcastle on Saturday night as their winless run was extended to five matches.

Despite taking the lead through a Sven Botman header on his 100th game for the club, the black and whites fell short at both ends of the pitch and left empty-handed once again.

That lead last just 13 minutes before Dango Ouattara sent over a cross from the left flank that Vitaly Janelt expertly headed into the Leazes End net.

Worse then followed in the closing moments of the half; Jacob Murphy illegally stopping Mathias Jensen's shot with his hand and Igor Thiago rolling home his 18th goal of the season from 12 yards.

Brentford had claimed a spot kick within the opening two minutes when Keane Lewis-Potter went to ground as he contested a loose ball in the box with Kieran Trippier. Thankfully that wasn't given. 

A VAR-inspired penalty won and converted by the returning Bruno Guimaraes with just over 10 minutes of normal time left seemed to have given Eddie Howe's side the platform to go on clinch a massive three points.

Instead it was the Bees who ended a 91-year wait for their second-ever victory at Gallowgate, Ouattara shooting powerfully through Nick Pope's legs; the tenth goal United have conceded in three games.

A Brentford side who have played five times in as many weeks looked sharper, better organised and more potent in attack than an ailing Toon line-up, who lacked a cutting edge in what was their ninth game during in that same period.

Even the return of Bruno after a three game absence couldn't inspire the hosts, although he contributed a goal and an assist. Murphy was selected on the right over Anthony Elanga but ineffectual to the point of anonymity, while Joe Willock and Harvey Barnes got some early joy on the left, but had nothing to aim at up front in open play.

Facing his old side for the first time, Yoane Wissa missed a crucial opportunity to double United's lead but otherwise contributed nothing in another lack-lustre outing.

Nick Woltemade was no better after his half-time arrival, reaching the box but failing to test Caoimhim Kelleher with a shot and making several embarrassing attempts at heading the ball.

£100m+ spent, nothing to show for it - Malick Thiaw's second half strike was rather better than anything that our German or DR Congo internationals could muster.

Discontented home followers booed their side off at both half and full time, as the Magpies extended their losing Premier League run to three games for the first time in two years.

Collectively out of form, a struggling side crying out for fresh legs and ideas has neither: a club unwilling or unable to enter the transfer market bulking out their bench with development squad players for no discernible purpose.

We'll plough on in similar fashion to Spurs this Tuesday, Villa on Saturday and Baku the Wednesday after that before returning to the good old Etihad in a fortnight - a schedule that now stretches before us like a prison sentence.

Today was a chance to stop the rot - a chance that was missed.

Sitting twelfth with 13 games to go, Eddie Howe's side are ten points off a European place and ten points off the relegation zone. Neither look likely, at the moment.  

More to follow...

Team: Pope, Trippier (Burn 87), Hall, Botman, Thiaw, Tonali (Ramsey 87), Guimaraes, Willock (Elanga 46), Barnes, J.Murphy (Woltemade 46), Wissa (Osula 65). Subs n/u: Ramsdale, Shahar, Neave, A.Murphy.

Booked: J.Murphy, Hall.

Goals: Botman 24, Guimaraes 79pen

BFC: Kelleher, Layode, Henry, Ajer, van den Berg, Janelt, Henderson (Yarmoliuk 56), Outtara, Jensen (Damsgaard 87), Lewis-Potter (Donovan 80), Thiago. Subs n/u: Collins, Furo, Hickey, Nelson, Pinnock, Valdimarsson.

Booked: Thiago, Janelt

Goals: Janelt 37, Thiago 45+2pen, Ouattara 85

Crowd: 52,032 including around 1,300 jubilant Bees.

Referee: Andy Madley - a quick return to Gallowgate for the West Yorkshire whistler after he took charge of the 2-2 PL home draw with Chelsea in December 2025.

VAR: John Brooks

Eddie Howe said:

"A strange game because I think at 2 - 2 you think you're going to go on and win it.

"The game got away from us with a really poor third goal, the construction of it we're all out attack, which is fine in that moment of course. But we need to do it in control, and we weren't in control of the transition well enough."

On conceding soft goals:

"It's been a massive problem in this last group of games, we all know if you defend well you've got a chance with our attacking players of scoring.

"We scored two today and we lost the game and got nothing from it which is hugely frustrating from our view point.

On feeling under pressure:

"I always feel under pressure. It's irrelevant to me, the type of pressure.

"When you're in this job, you're always in that moment: whether it's pressure to win, or to turn around results. We're very much in that (second) feeling.

"I always say the pressure I put on myself could not be more extreme. I demand really high standards from what I am doing and how I work, and what I ask the players to do.

"I'm obviously not doing my job well enough at the moment.

"I'm annoyed with myself, angry with myself, blaming myself, taking full accountability on my shoulders. No one else.

"There's a harsh reality for me. I think I have to think long and hard about - not my effort, because I can't question that - but I have to work better, do more. I have to take responsibility for everything you see on the pitch. I have got to work out solutions.

"I also of course have to ask the same of the players. I have to ask them to be really honest and look at their best levels, and judge them against that now in this current moment.

"I don't think there are too many who can say they are playing their best. That then gives us growth to improve.

On negative reaction from home fans:

"If we perform, the crowd will back us. They will be with us every step of the way. I have no issue with their reaction today. They are reacting to what we deliver. I don't see that being a problem. Of course we have to turn that around with our performances."

On Bruno Guimaraes:

"A big pressure moment and he responded with a really cool penalty. I thought he did well to get through the game considering he's missed quite a chunk of training."

Stats:

Sven Botman made his 100th league and cup appearance for Newcastle, collecting his third Premier League goal. The other two were both scored in away games - at Sheffield United in September 2023 and Liverpool in January 2024.

Bruno Guimaraes scored his 30th PL goal, moving one ahead of both Demba Ba and Gary Speed.

Bees in Toon - all-time:

2025/26 lost 2-3 Botman, Guimaraes(pen)
2024/25 won 2-1 Isak, Tonali (PL)
2024/25 won 3-1 Tonali 2, Schar (LC)
2023/24 won 1-0 Wilson (PL)
2022/23 won 5-1 Bruno 2, Murphy, Almiron, og (PL)
2021/22 drew 3-3 Lascelles, Joelinton, ASM (PL)
2016/17 won 3-1 Clark, Gayle 2 (Ch)
2001/02 won 4-1 Ameobi, Bellamy 3 (LC)
1992/93 won 5-1 Kelly, Bracewell, Clark 2, Lee (D1)
1954/55 won 3-2 Curry, Hannah, Mitchell (FA)
1947/48 won 1-0 Woodburn (D2)
1934/35 lost 2-5 Gallantree, Kelly (D2)

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Tyneside-based Football Bobbles have added a new scarf to their range of Magpie-based merchandise, named after United's 1990s hero Tino Asprilla. Find that online here

Thanks to everyone who entered our score prediction competition to win a scarf - two readers correctly told us that Brentford would win by the odd goal in five on Saturday- and Keith Brown got the nod for the prize.

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