The importance of Bruno Guimaraes to Newcastle United is highlighted in the numbers behind the Magpies\u2019 season. Indeed, Eddie Howe\u2019s team have failed to win a single Premier League match without the Brazilian midfielder with Saturday\u2019s home defeat to Liverpool a particularly damaging result.<\/p>\n
Guimaraes was serving the final match of a three-game suspension, meaning he will be back in the Newcastle team for Sunday\u2019s Carabao Cup final against Manchester United. That is good news for everyone associated with the St James\u2019 Park club as they target their first major trophy since 1955.<\/p>\n
Against Liverpool, Newcastle United were left exposed in the centre of the pitch with Guimaraes watching from the stands. Stefan Bajcetic was repeatedly allowed to turn and get Liverpool moving forward with the ball at his feet. Guimaraes almost certainly would have been quicker to engage the young Spaniard. Bajcetic surely would have experienced a tougher test.<\/p>\n
Newcastle will need Guimaraes to match up against Casemiro at Wembley on Sunday. The two Brazilians are enjoying excellent seasons with the latter more important to Manchester United’s ability to start attacks from deep than many give him credit for. Guimaraes mustn\u2019t allow Casemiro too much time on the ball.<\/p>\n
On the ball, Guimaraes\u2019 influence on Newcastle United is clear. So much of the Magpies\u2019 possession play flows through the 25-year-old. He allows Howe to push his midfield higher up the pitch which helps the likes of Miguel Almiron and Joe Willock get into more goal-scoring areas more regularly. Guimaraes does more to impose Newcastle\u2019s game on opponents.<\/p>\n
Without Guimaraes, Newcastle United\u2019s midfield lacks presence and control. Howe doesn\u2019t have another player in the mould of the Brazilian to bring into his team whenever he is missing. Newcastle\u2019s poor recent form – one win in seven matches – demonstrated why the Magpies need Guimaraes to stay fit and available for the rest of the season.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s absolutely a bargain because he\u2019s had a huge effect on the team and the club,\u201d said Howe when assessing the impact of Guimaraes\u2019 signing for just \u00a338m in January 2021. \u201cIn today\u2019s market, that is a relatively modest sum – which I can\u2019t really believe I\u2019m saying – but it is.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an amazing thing for us to have him, it\u2019s not just the player, it\u2019s the person as well. I can\u2019t say how good a person he is. He\u2019s a pleasure to coach and be around. He\u2019s a really positive person, an energiser and someone I love to coach and be with. I think everyone here connected with the club – me, the players, the supporters – absolutely love him.\u201d<\/p>\n
A lack of goals and attacking threat has hindered Newcastle United in recent times with Howe\u2019s team drawing a blank in four of their last seven matches in the Premier League. It\u2019s not just Guimaraes who must step up to keep Newcastle in top four contention, but the likes of Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson too.<\/p>\n
Guimaraes\u2019 signing set a precedent for Newcastle United in the transfer market. The Brazilian was identified as a high-potential individual who was ready to take the next step in his development and was integrated almost immediately by Howe who built his midfield around the new addition.<\/p>\n
Newcastle United will need more players like Guimaraes if they are to challenge for major titles and trophies in the future and he could help end the club\u2019s long wait for a major piece of silverware this Sunday. There is enough evidence of how dependent Newcastle are on the Brazilian when he is missing. Now, Guimaraes can demonstrate how good they can be when he is on the pitch.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The importance of Bruno Guimaraes to Newcastle United is highlighted in the numbers behind the Magpies\u2019 season. Indeed, Eddie Howe\u2019s team have failed to win a single Premier League match without the Brazilian midfielder with Saturday\u2019s home defeat to Liverpool a particularly damaging result.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":48,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[643],"tags":[272],"class_list":["post-53157","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sport","tag-featurehome"],"yoast_head":"\n