Newcastle United ended their run of four Premier League matches without having found the back of the net when Steve Bruce’s side beat Southampton 1-0 at the weekend. Sticking with the back four Bruce trialled against Burnley in their previous top-flight outing, the Magpies kept a clean sheet for the second consecutive Premier League match as the system came to fruition.
The visitors were also fortunate to benefit from Moussa Djenepo’s sending off for a late attempted tackle, which enabled Allan Saint-Maximin to end the goalless streak. But the main shock for many Newcastle fans will have been Bruce losing faith in Joelinton and dropping the Brazilian from the starting eleven for the first time in 18 matches.
Dwight Gayle took his place and showed glimpses of promise taking on a game-high five shots, three of which were on target, as per WhoScored. But in the strikers defining moment he sent a Saint-Maximin cross the wrong side of the post from just a few yards out. It would be easy to interoperate the miss as rustiness having made only four starts for Newcastle this season, but any striker worth his salt in the Premier League should have finished the opportunity, which would have opened Gayle’s account for the campaign.
Out of possession Bruce’s system most closely resembled a 4-4-2 with Miguel Almiron and Gayle leading the line, but the Englishman did not work nearly as hard off the ball as Joelinton and failed to contribute a tackle, interception or blocked shot, as per WhoScored. If he is also not finding the target, while failing to help his defenders, there is little point in selecting Gayle over the Brazilian.
Furthermore, Joelinton, valued at £27m (Transfermarkt), offers a dominating aerial presence and focal point to Newcastle United when he is in the side. Only Sebastien Haller has won more aerial battles in the Premier League this term, 206, than the 23-year-old’s 150. With Saint-Maximin, Matt Ritchie and Jonjo Shelvey providing the crosses perhaps Joelinton will be capable of adding to his tally of one Premier League goal.
Bruce may have finally broken through the opposition net after discovering the solution to Newcastle’s goal drought, but given how Gayle performed Joelinton may not be out of the side for long.
