THE two players Newcastle may have to sell are the two they can least afford to.
Two days before this devastating defeat to Manchester City, CEO Darren Eales warned that the Geordies will have to cash in on their superstars to navigate spending rules and turbo-charge the Saudi revolution.
ReutersKevin De Bruyne was the hero for Man City as they beat Newcastle[/caption]
ReutersPep Guardiola’s side left it late to topple the Toon[/caption]
This set alarm bells ringing among the Toon Army, worried about who could be sacrificed.
Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimarares are the two most likely candidates at the end of the season, with both valued at around £100million.
While that would enable the Magpies to loosen the purse strings, losing either of that stellar duo would be a bitter blow.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has made a point of insisting everyone has to sell, and of course he is right.
Yet do the biggest clubs sell their best players in the hope of getting better?
Would City ever sell De Bruyne? Don’t be silly.
Because that’s what Isak and Bruno are, Newcastle’s difference makers.
Yet it’s now four straight Prem defeats and, down to 10th and still 11 points off fourth, the Champions League spots look a long, long way away.
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PAAlexander Isak drew Newcastle level in the 35th minute[/caption]
PANewcastle United’s Anthony Gordon put the Magpies ahead just two minutes later[/caption]
And given those two among others like Sven Botman have had a taste of mixing it with European royalty this term, Newcastle could be in a tricky situation come the summer.
There was a sense of inevitability when Bernardo Silva put City ahead with a majestic back heel.
But then, following a brilliant crunching Fabian Schar tackle, Bruno and Isak combined to devastating effect in what looked to be a huge turning point in the Mags’ season.
Bruno, the Brazilian conductor who sets the tone for all things good in this Newcastle side, received it from Schar in his own half and then curled a stunning, first-time 30-yard sweeping ball perfectly into the path of the onrushing Isak.
The languid forward still had plenty to do however – not that you would have known it.
One-on-one with Kyle Walker, the Swede, turned the England defender inside and bent a beauty beyond Stefan Ortega to send St James’ Park wild.
Fresh from writing himself into local folklore with a brace against Sunderland, this was Isak’s 10th Prem goal of the season in just his 15th game.
Newcastle splashed a club-record £65million on him in the summer of 2022 and, at just 24, we could be talking about close to double that before long if he keeps scoring at the same rate.
Ice cool in front of goal with explosive speed, he’s a defender’s nightmare when in full flow.
Brazilian baller Bruno Guimaraes may not possess any pace whatsoever, yet that does not make him any less effective or important.
The Samba star is the soul of this Newcastle side and loves a battle just as much as the beautiful game.
And without his hard as nails compatriot Joelinton alongside him because of injury, boy did they need Bruno the scrapper last night.
After Anthony Gordon fired Newcastle 2-1 ahead just two minutes following Isak’s equaliser, he threw himself around here, there and everywhere as the knackered hosts – without any game-changers on the bench because of the never-ending injury crisis – held on for dear life until super sub Kevin de Bruyne’s intervention 74 minutes in.
The Belgian found a pocket of space in behind Bruno, Lewis Miley and Sean Longstaff – a problem all season which Howe has been unable to remedy.
That is why the Newcastle boss is so desperate to get Kalvin Phillips on loan, with the City outcast sat twiddling his thumbs on the bench at St James’.
As brilliant as Bruno is, he is not a holding midfielder – and Phillips may well have plugged that hole.
Instead, Phillips was charging onto the pitch with the City subs after Oscar Bobb‘s late winner, leaving Newcastle’s season in danger of falling horribly flat before a summer in which they may be saying goodbye to at least one of their best.
EPAOscar Bobb won the game for his side after coming off the bench late in the second half[/caption]