Matt Targett believes Newcastle United will have to be wary of the club’s former striker Ivan Toney ahead of Saturday’s clash against Brentford.
Targett spoke to NUFC TV about his first few weeks on Tyneside and gave his thoughts on the crucial top-flight game at Brentford.
Targett said: “Yeah it has been a great start for me personally and the team. I think all I can do is control my own performances and at the moment I think they’ve been very good.
“It also helps that the team is doing very well and we’ve picked up a lot of positive results.”
Newcastle legend Alan Shearer named Targett in his Premier League team of the week following last weekend’s 1-1 draw against West Ham, which highlights the positive early impression Targett has made up north.
Reacting to being recognised by Shearer, Newcastle’s number 13 said: “Yeah it’s nice when you get noticed for your individual performances and hopefully it continues.”
The Magpies have picked up seven points from a possible nine since Targett joined the club and the 26-year-old feels the squad is in a “really good place” and is “working well” under Eddie Howe.
The England under-21 international believes the Toon Army have the “massive incentive” of leapfrogging Saturday’s opponents Brentford with a win going into the clash.
The left-back felt that with the group of players Howe possesses there is no reason why Newcastle shouldn’t continue to climb the table.
Targett tasted defeat at the Brentford Community Stadium last month, in what was his last Premier League outing for Aston Villa this season.
Thomas Frank’s side won that encounter 2-1 and Targett played the full 90 minutes.
Speaking about the threat the Bees will pose, Targett added: “They can be a very dangerous team. There a direct team into Ivan Toney whose a handful on his day, so we’ve got to take care of that and the set-pieces, which they’re a big threat from.
“It’s going to be a very tough game.”
Although Burnley picked up another crucial three points last night with a 1-0 against Tottenham, Targett isn’t paying attention to how the clubs close to Newcastle are performing.
Targett continued: “That’s the big in football. You can only control what you can. The rest will take care of itself – no matter what the other teams are doing, we know everything is in our hands.”
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