9/10 Newcastle's sensation has made Tonali unplayable

Newcastle United I got pregnant with them Premier League Form in Carabao Cup And defeated Brentford 3-1 at St. James Park to qualify for the semi-finals.

It was a great performance from Eddie HoweMen, one of courage, flair and teamwork. Bees are no joke. They pack a sour punch. but, Thomas Frank He could only watch as his team was outplayed on Tyneside.

And now. The darkness of the tunnel still surrounds Newcastle, but at least light seems accessible now. There is an anxious wait to see who he will meet at the penultimate hurdle, but the Magpies will fear no opponent.

Especially as some things start to come together. Newcastle's attacking line looks smoother, and the overall team synergy continues to be smoother. Sandro Tonali He was at the heart of the performance and finally re-announced himself after a year full of struggle.

Sandro Tonali's dominant display

It's been a rocky road for the expensive midfielder since then He joined Newcastle in a £55m deal In July 2023, after looking patchy throughout the early months of last season before being handed a lengthy suspension for betting violations that ended his first season in October. He did not return until the beginning of the current term.

Now, however, Midfielder who earns £120,000 per week He began to display a quality that astute observers knew had been dormant all this time.

Against Brentford in the Carabao Cup, Tonali opened his account on His 17th appearance of the campaignBut he did so in style and performed exceptionally well even without goals, suggesting he could be the extra part needed in the engine room.

Tonali, 24, provided an assist in the previous round as Newcastle eliminated Chelsea, but it is the intense midfield effort against Brentford that represents his signature black-and-white opus so far.

Two wonderful goals at opposite ends of the first half put the hosts in a commanding position Reporter Luke Edwards He described the Italian as “the best player on the pitch by some distance.”

Tonali's elegance and flowing ability on the ball make him look like a dazzling maestro at times, but in reality he is an impressive player, with overwhelming challenges and an indefatigable turf covering two essential aspects of his skill set.

His goals were beautiful, but Tonali ensured that United outplayed their opponents in exchanges across the pitch by winning four tackles and six duels. His passing was clear, and he chose correctly when he brought the ball forward once into the danger area.

However, he wasn't the only toon star to excel. In fact, you can say so Anthony Gordon He deserves just as much credit, and perhaps played a role that facilitated the Italy international's triumphant evening.

How Anthony Gordon made Tonali unplayable

This season, Gordon has not returned to the podium he saw his claim to Newcastle Player of the Year for the 2023/24 season Honour, but he certainly showed flashes of brilliance and really did plenty against Brentford on Wednesday night.

If you go back to Tonali's goal before half-time, you'll notice that it was Gordon's brilliant pass that put the plan into action, bringing Newcastle one step closer to that elusive glory called silverware.

That would be a saving grace for a season that has floundered, with the stratospheric gains made two seasons ago slowing into something stunted and frustrating. Players like Gordon will have their sights set on Champions League nights, but this competition offers something they can target in concert.

Tonali was the star of the show, stealing the show with his brilliant brace, but Gordon was also outstanding. According to Chronicle Live's Lee RyderThe English star deserved to rate the match 9/10, noting that he “threatened all evening and provided a wonderful assist for Tonali II with a wonderful corner shot.”

They simply could not contain Newcastle's players when they went on the attack when they pressed as a single hive mentality force. Gordon was withdrawn after 77 minutes after hitting himself to the ground.

He probably missed two of his shots that night, failed to complete any of his active dribbles, and gave up the ball 12 times. According to SovascorBut such factors are unimportant when considering the influence the 23-year-old has had on the issue.

Gordon also looked happier in his natural role as a left winger, as he has been rotated between the pack to meet different needs this season. With Lewis Hall behind him, a first-class partnership is in the making and will take time to develop. It may come at the expense of Harvey Barnes, but it's a sure way to raise Newcastle's consistency a level or two.

Newcastle have a variety of quality players, but Howe's system was at its peak when the club performed as a team, and the whole was greater than the sum of its parts.

Now we see. We see a Newcastle team finding the thread of togetherness and pulling itself together again. With Tonali impressing alongside Bruno Guimaraes, Gordon providing comfort on the wing, and Alexander Isak enjoying the strongest defenders up front, anything can be achieved.

Now we wait. We are waiting for a draw that may emerge between Liverpool and Arsenal, or one of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. These are daunting teams to be sure, but Howe knows and Newcastle certainly knows that at their own game, the Magpies can top all three.