Newcastle United desperately need to get back to winning ways this weekend, but that will be easier said than done against a strong Brentford side.
The Magpies have a good record against Thomas Frank’s team, however. Newcastle have won three on the bounce against Brentford, including last season’s 5-1 win at St James’ Park.
Bruno Guimaraes was sensational that afternoon, and Toon fans will be eager to see the Brazilian produce a similar kind of performance. He is one of multiple Newcastle players who need to raise their game.
It has been a tough start to the season, but the Brentford clash is a great chance for Howe and co to really kickstart their campaign.
Pundits Paul Merson and Chris Sutton believe Newcastle will do that by winning on Saturday evening, and their opinion is shared by former Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur striker Dimitar Berbatov.
Berbatov predicts Newcastle will beat Brentford
Berbatov has predicted this weekend’s Premier League games for Metro, and has backed Newcastle to beat Brentford 2-0 at St James’ Park.
“I was surprised that Newcastle got beat so easily by Brighton,” he said.
“The international break came at a good time for them, but they would not have wanted to go into it having lost. Now is a chance for them to start again and then get going, such as by getting a clean sheet. They will need to play well against Brentford and get the points.
“Last season was great for Newcastle, where they were able to get Champions League football. They will need to sort everything out, or they will end up mid-table. They will need to have at least the same as last season and find consistency.
“It would be a good time for them to start that run against Brentford, so I will go with them.”
Clean sheet would boost Newcastle’s confidence
While winning is the priority for Newcastle, keeping a clean sheet on Saturday evening would be a real confidence boost.
The Magpies’ defence has not been as tight as it once was, and they looked woeful against Brighton last time out. Berbatov was surprised at how easily Newcastle were beaten, and it was largely down to our failures at the back.
Howe’s side could be boosted by the return of Sven Botman, who is hoping to start after missing the previous game due to an ankle injury. However, there is a chance that Sandro Tonali could be unavailable.
With injury concerns and the looming Champions League opener against AC Milan, Howe has some big decisions to make. But he has enough depth to get a win versus Brentford, and Berbatov believes that is exactly what will happen.
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