Newcastle United

Ciaran Kelly
Newcastle United reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Dan Burn said during the week that this trip to Brentford was where travel-sick Newcastle had to "earn their money". They did anything but.

Just like a week ago, against West Ham, Newcastle took the lead in the capital. Just like a week ago, they capitulated and went on to lose the game 3-1.

Recurring themes are rearing their head away from home - a lack of goals, defensive frailty and a huge mentality issue.

Remarkably, Newcastle only had a single shot on target. They won four fewer aerial duels than Brentford. They covered 3km less than the hosts.

This side have no issues getting up for a game at St James' Park or a Champions League night under the lights.

But they continue to flounder on the road and now sit just two points above the relegation zone.

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe speaking to BBC Match of the Day after the 3-1 defeat by Brentford: "Really difficult second half for us. Whatever could go wrong did go wrong. We didn't respond to the first goal well enough and then the second goal and the red card, which cost us the game.

"We showed a good mentality to our defending in the first half and we stood up to that task. Just that one throw-in and it cost us, and it was a big turning point in the match."

On Nick Pope's concussion: "Initially, I wasn't told anything in the sense that he was concussed and then a message came that we wasn't feeling too well and he had to come off. It probably affects (whether he reports for England duty), yeah."

On Newcastle's form: "I thought we were there mentally and trying to give our best to the game, and we were possibly lacking in confidence today. The Champions League, you have to forget about it to a degree but the Premier League is everything. At the moment, we are suffering. We know we will rightly be criticised for our away form, and all we can do is stick together and fight back."

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Brentford's performance

What did you make of Newcastle's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Aaron Hickey returns for Brentford as manager Keith Andrews makes one change for the visit of Newcastle United.

The Scot makes his first appearance in over a month after recovering from a knee injury he suffered on international duty last month.

Brentford XI: Kelleher, Hickey, van den Berg, Collins, Kayode, Henderson, Yarmoliuk, Damsgaard, Schade, Thiago, Ouattara

Subs: Valdimarsson, Henry, Pinnock, Jensen, Nelson, Carvalho, Onyeka, Lewis-Potter, Janelt

Newcastle forward Jacob Murphy comes into the starting line-up in place of the absent Anthony Gordon.

Gordon, who has been called up for England's internationals against Serbia and Albania, misses out completely with a hip issue as head coach Eddie Howe makes one change from the team who defeated Athletic Club in the Champions League midweek.

Newcastle XI: Pope, Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Burn, Tonali, Guimaraes, Joelinton, Murphy, Woltemade, Barnes

Subs: Ramsdale, Hall, Schar, Lascelles, Krafth, Elanga, Willock, Ramsey, Miley

There are five games in the Premier League on Sunday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Aston Villa v Bournemouth - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• Brentford v Newcastle - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Crystal Palace v Brighton - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 3

• Nottingham Forest v Leeds - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Manchester City v Liverpool (16:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 14:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction from the 14:00 games here

And go here for Man City v Liverpool

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Aston Villa v Bournemouth" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Man City v Liverpool", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

I didn't recognise Newcastle when I watched them lose at West Ham United last weekend.

They were better when they beat Athletic Club at St James' Park in the Champions League in midweek, but their away form - or lack of it - must be a concern for boss Eddie Howe.

They are still solid defensively, most of the time, but scoring goals seems a particular problem for them when they are on the road. I can see why from watching that West Ham game because they just didn't work the goalkeeper enough.

Brentford head coach Keith Andrews is happy to set his side up to play on the counter-attack, even when they are at home, and I can see Newcastle struggling to break them down too.

I've gone for a few draws already this week, but this game smells of another one to me.

Sutton's prediction: 0-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Jordan Butler
BBC Sport journalist

Brentford were tipped to struggle by some pundits this season, but sit a point ahead of Newcastle prior to their clash on Sunday (14:00 GMT). BBC Sport looks at some of the key talking points surrounding this game.

Goals galore

When these two meet there are always goals and it should come as no surprise that Brentford won 5-2 in their first-ever meeting with Newcastle in 1934.

The emphatic victory for the Bees at St James' Park helped Harry Curtis's side clinch the old Second Division title that season and the result set the tone for years to come.

No Premier League fixture that has been played at least eight times has produced more goals than this one. A total of 33 have been scored across the past eight top-flight meetings between the clubs at an average of 4.1 per game.

Striker Igor Thiago is responsible for six Premier League strikes for Brentford this season, with three of those coming in his past three top-flight home appearances.

Brentford's Brazilian top scorer has commanded a lot of attention for his recent performances, but Kevin Schade's excellent form also hasn't gone unnoticed and he has earned a recall to Germany's squad for the forthcoming international break. His last cap came more than a year ago.

Both of Schade's league goals this season have come at the Gtech Community Stadium and he scored in Brentford's last home fixture – a 3-2 win over defending champions Liverpool.

Travel-sick Newcastle

Newcastle's only away win this season was an emphatic one in the Champions League against Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise.

Their impressive 4-0 victory in Brussels at the start of October appeared a turning point, but they have lost at both Brighton and West Ham in the league since.

Defeat on Sunday would be the first time they have suffered three successive away losses in the top flight since a run of five between November 2023 and January 2024.

"For whatever reason we have not been winning the games away from home that we should have," said Howe this week. "Now we're sort of caught in that trap where it's becoming a topic of conversation and we're probably becoming more aware of it."

The Magpies are in fact winless in their past eight away Premier League matches (D4, L4) – a run dating back seven months – and they've failed to score more than once in any of those fixtures.

No European hangover

One major positive for Howe's men is that they are yet to lose a domestic fixture that directly follows a Champions League match this season.

The Magpies are flying high in Europe after three wins from a possible four and they appear to be carrying that continental form into the league.

Ciaran Kelly
Newcastle United reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Eddie Howe says it is up to his Newcastle United players to prove they are "world- class" rather than the club keeping them happy with their league finish.

Newcastle have impressed in the Champions League and Carabao Cup so far this season, but find themselves 13th in the Premier League.

However, Howe, who lost Alexander Isak to Liverpool in the summer, stressed it was "not our job to necessarily keep any player happy in terms of where we finish in the league".

"Of course, we want to try and keep our best players," he said. "The only way we can do that is with what we deliver behind the scenes but, in a sense, the players have to show that they're these world-class players on a consistent basis.

"There's a lot of pressure on them, too, to showcase rather than all the talk being about players leaving. I don't think that's healthy for us.

"We're on a journey together and it's still yet to be clear what our destination is this season. We're still in the early stages. We've still got a chance for this to be a very special season for us."

Howe was speaking after midfielder Sandro Tonali made it clear that he was "happy" at Newcastle.

The Italian stressed he was not thinking "about another team", but stopped short of offering any assurances about his long-term future.

"Sandro has been very honest," Howe added. "He's happy and that's the key thing. He said he's enjoying his football and when I see him every day I see a player who is happy and feels fulfilled."

Holly Bacon
BBC Sport journalist

Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Brentford at Gtech Community Stadium (kick-off 14:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Howe does not think Anthony Gordon's injury is serious but says it is likely he will miss out on Sunday. He says Will Osula's injury is also not serious but that he could be out for a few weeks.

• On Yoane Wissa, the Newcastle boss said his knee is "feeling good" and that it is now a case of looking at his fitness and sharpness. Howe says the timescale is unclear but he is sure the striker "will be worth the wait".

• He added: "The only frustration with this injury is that we haven't seen him, he wasn't with us when he did it so that has been difficult."

• Howe says Sandro Tonali has been "very honest" in his comments regarding the future and that "none of us can make massive statements about the future because life is so unpredictable and football certainly".

• The Newcastle boss added: "He is happy - that's the key thing - and enjoying his football. I see a player that is happy, feels fulfilled, happy in the team, with his team-mates, the environment. He loves it here in Newcastle. Our challenge is to keep providing him that environment, his job is to keep playing well."

• Howe says Sunday's game at Brentford is an opportunity to "showcase" that they can deliver away from home: "I know there's pressure on us. I know our away form hasn't been good enough, but we are determined to try and put that right. "

Hear more from Eddie Howe on BBC Sounds

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra commentary of Brentford v Newcastle at 14:00 on Sunday on BBC Sounds

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

How to follow the Premier League on the BBC this weekend

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England boss Thomas Tuchel has named his 25-man squad for the final time this year ahead of their 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania.

The Three Lions have already secured qualification.

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Nick Pope (Newcastle).

Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Nico O'Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham), John Stones (Manchester City).

Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Alex Scott (Bournemouth), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace).

Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona, on loan from Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal).

Newcastle are relaxed about Sandro Tonali's comments on his future and will not begin formal talks about a new contract for the midfielder until later in the season. (Mail Plus - subscription required), external

The Magpies are in talks with Sven Botman over a new deal, but fellow defender Emil Krafth is drawing interest from Copenhagen. (Mail Plus - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

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With the countdown to the Celebrity Traitors final under way, we asked you which Newcastle player or manager - past or present - would make the best traitor and faithful.

Here are some of your comments:

Ian: It is a no-brainer. Only one possible traitor - Mr Isak. His behind-the-scenes behaviour and straight face would be ideal. Bobby Robson faithful to the end.

Andrew: Eddie Howe would be the best faithful! He is so loyal and leads the team, always working out ways to beat the evil Arsenal in semi-finals. But for a traitor? Does Isak count? Two-faced and only looked out for himself at the sake of his fellow players.

Mark: The best faithful has to be Kevin Keegan. He is black and white through and through. His passion, commitment and love for the club are undeniable. You always felt he gave everything for Newcastle United, whether as a player or a manager. As for the best traitor, Mike Ashley. He might not be a player or manager, but as an owner he consistently put his own interests first. His time at the club felt more about profit than progress, and many fans felt betrayed by the lack of ambition and care for the club's long-term future.

Michael: Isak. Traitor. No explanation needed.

Phil: Jason Tindall would be an obvious choice for our traitor - big personality on the touchline. The real dark horse would be Lewis Hall - quiet, unassuming, goes about his business. Could see him being an excellent traitor flying under the radar.

You can watch the final of The Celebrity Traitors live from 21:00 GMT on BBC iPlayer

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts after Newcastle faced Athletic Club in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Here are some of your comments:

Rod: Nowhere near a performance of note but the main thing was the points and a clean sheet. Athletic Club were competitive and showed more individual skill than us despite injuries to key players. However, overall a big improvement on the West Ham performance.

Davo: Another win in the Champions League which is excellent, but we seem to have a problem passing the ball to our own players at times. If we do the same at Brentford and keep giving them the ball, they will destroy us. We need to stop giving it away so easily.

Ben: Not the most emphatic bounce back but we'll take it. A patchy first half, better second but still a long way off where we were last season. Lewis Hall looked different class.

Lee: Very poor performance. Midfield looked out of sorts, basic control of the ball seemed a struggle and passing not hitting the target. Woltemade again isolated upfront and Gordon doing little before going off. A win's a win though.

Michael: A win's a win but still a pretty average performance at best against a banged up team that were much better on the ball than us. Defending all round much better but so sloppy in possession and pretty predictable going forward. Joelinton looked good in the sense he was a willing runner to support Woltemade. Hall showed what we've been missing. But Newcastle are lacking creativity, lacking flair as usual right now. We are not adjusting nearly fast enough to a different kind of centre forward to what we were used to last season.

Tom McCoy
BBC Sport journalist

Five teams from one country had never all won in a single round of the Champions League matches prior to this season.

But Premier League sides did exactly that this week, as they did in the previous round of games. English sides have won 17 of 24 fixtures so far, a win percentage of 71%.

The richest league in the world is leveraging its financial muscle, and if this consistency continues, it could result in the Premier League earning a 'bonus' Champions League place for the team finishing fifth, as was the case last year.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Newcastle United goalkeeper Tim Krul believes "the reaction was key" for Eddie Howe's side after falling to a shock 3-1 defeat to West Ham United last time out, as the Magpies soared past Athletic Club in the Champions League.

A pair of headers from Dan Burn and Joelinton saw the Magpies record three consecutive victories in a major European competition for the first time since 2007.

"It was all about how they dealt with the setback and clearly everybody realised that last weekend's performance wasn't good enough," Krul said on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast. "Going into the Champions League and taking a massive win after that is impressive.

"There are six English teams in the top 12 now, so it's clearly been a great couple of nights for English football.

"The Champions League fixtures have really give Newcastle United confidence this season. Their home form at St James' Park has clearly been immense but Eddie Howe will be as eager as anybody to get their away form up to that kind of level.

"If they matched their home form to their away form right now, I think they would be one of the teams to finish the league stage in the top eight, but they clearly have to improve it."

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Ciaran Kelly
Newcastle United reporter at St James' Park

You could detect the irritation in Dan Burn's voice when he said "everybody knows we will turn up" after Newcastle did anything but at London Stadium last time out.

But the England defender led by example against Athletic Club as his side responded to their poor showing at the weekend.

Though Burn is not known for scoring many goals, the 33-year-old popped up with one of the most important in Newcastle's recent history when he opened the scoring in the EFL Cup final last March.

And this header brought back memories of that set-piece goal as he again linked up with Keiran Trippier, who has set up five of Burn's nine goals for the club.

It was a move straight from the training ground.

Burn initially took up a position outside the box alongside Athletic forward Robert Navarro before making a late run towards the back post just as Trippier took the set-piece.

The 6ft 7in defender managed to avoid being picked up, after Joelinton and Malick Thiaw blocked off Athletic players Daniel Vivian and Jesus Areso, and directed a superb header in off the upright.

No wonder the watching Alan Shearer was on his feet to applaud that one in the directors' box. It was a bullet header Newcastle's record goalscorer would have been proud of.