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Ouattara’s late goal secures a 3-2 victory for Brentford over Newcastle in a thrilling five-goal match.
The St James’ Park faithful erupted with renewed hope.
Newcastle United‘s captain, Bruno Guimaraes, had just leveled the score at 2-2 against Brentford with a composed penalty.
Not content with a draw, Sandro Tonali quickly retrieved the ball, eager to restart the game as Guimaraes led his invigorated teammates back to their half.
Was this the turning point Newcastle needed on home soil?
The answer was a resounding no.
The brief elation was short-lived, as Dango Ouattara swiftly restored Brentford‘s lead, capitalizing on defensive lapses.
The decisive blow silenced the home crowd as Newcastle succumbed to a disappointing 3-2 defeat.
In the game’s waning moments, a frustrated supporter approached the dugout, urging head coach Eddie Howe to “sort it out,” before boos echoed around the stadium at the final whistle.
Newcastle now find themselves in 12th place in the Premier League, with a visibly dejected Howe addressing the media post-match.
Is the pressure mounting on him?
“I always feel under pressure,” the Newcastle head coach admitted.
Their current form reflects a single victory in their last eight games across all competitions.
“The nature of the pressure is immaterial to me,” Howe stated.
“In this role, you’re perpetually in that situation, whether it’s the pressure to maintain a winning streak or to reverse a series of unfavorable results. We are acutely aware of that sentiment.
“I consistently emphasize that the pressure I impose upon myself is immense because I demand exceptionally high standards from my work, my approach, and the expectations I set for the players. It’s clear that I’m currently not performing my job to a satisfactory level.”
Howe has navigated difficult periods before, of course.
He took the helm of a team mired in relegation contention in 2021, securing only one win in his first 10 games across all competitions.
A humbling FA Cup exit to Cambridge United occurred during this period, coinciding with Kieran Trippier’s debut for the club.
Now, more than four years later, Trippier acknowledged that he took “full responsibility” after being exposed in the sequences leading up to all of Brentford‘s goals.
“It has nothing to do with the manager,” Trippier told Sky Sports. “We take responsibility for the performances.
“The manager devises the strategy, and we endeavor to execute it. I’m not going to blame the manager. I would never do that.”
However, the past few months have undoubtedly been the most challenging of Howe’s tenure at the club, both on and off the pitch, with the roots of the struggle dating back to the summer.
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Howe says he understands Newcastle fans’ frustration
Newcastle operated without a sporting director and failed to secure several of their primary transfer targets, including Hugo Ekitike, Joao Pedro, and James Trafford, during a window in which leading scorer Alexander Isak reportedly went on strike to facilitate a move to Liverpool.
While Howe exerted significant influence over recruitment, Newcastle ultimately spent over £250m on Jacob Ramsey, Anthony Elanga, Malick Thiaw, Yoane Wissa, and Nick Woltemade, in addition to acquiring goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale on loan.
Significantly, only two of these acquisitions – Thiaw and Wissa – were included in the starting lineup against Brentford.
Wissa saw his attempted effort cleared off the line when his side held a 1-0 lead, but it was another scoreless performance for the former Brentford forward.
He was subjected to jeers of “what a waste of money” from the away supporters following his substitution.
Since his debut in December, Wissa has managed just three goals, while Woltemade has found the net only once during the same period.
Alan Shearer, the club’s all-time leading scorer, is a figure who certainly knew where the goal was.
Shearer acknowledged the current shortcomings but emphasized that Howe was “not under pressure”.
“The summer signings – with the exception of Malick Thiaw – have not performed adequately and have not reached anything close to their potential,” said Shearer, a pundit on Saturday’s Match of the Day.
“They simply haven’t justified the financial investment made in them, and this has hindered Howe.
“Like any manager, improvements are necessary, and a turnaround is essential, but in terms of him losing his job? Absolutely not.”
Such high regard should come as no surprise.
This is the manager who ended Newcastle‘s seven-decade wait for a major domestic trophy less than a year ago and guided his side to Champions League qualification in 2025 and 2023.
Consequently, Howe commanded immediate respect from chief executive David Hopkinson and sporting director Ross Wilson upon their appointments earlier this season.
The pair have cultivated a strong rapport with Howe and have consistently underscored the importance of internal alignment at a time when other clubs have experienced very public divisions.
There is a degree of understanding that the team is undergoing a transition following a tumultuous summer.
There is also an acknowledgment within the club that Howe, who is heavily involved in all aspects of the team, has had limited training time with his players and has had to contend with fatigue and injuries during a demanding schedule this season, a relatively novel situation for Newcastle.
Newcastle retain a strong possibility of reaching the Champions League round of 16 and face Aston Villa in the FA Cup fourth round next week, but the season is rapidly slipping away.
No team in the league has relinquished more points from winning positions than Newcastle (19).
Howe’s team has secured only three away victories in all competitions this season and has suffered defeats in three of their last four matches at St James’ Park.
They are as close to the relegation zone as they are to the top five.
These statistics are particularly damaging considering Hopkinson’s recent reaffirmation that Newcastle aims to compete for major honors by 2030.
Howe is undoubtedly aware that a turnaround is needed sooner rather than later.
“I need to work more effectively, do more, and accept full responsibility for everything that transpires on the pitch,” he stated.
“It’s my responsibility to devise solutions, and the same applies to the players.
“I need to urge them to be brutally honest with themselves, assess their optimal level, and evaluate how our current performance compares to that standard.
“I don’t believe many of us can honestly say that we are performing at our peak, which indicates that there is room for improvement.”
Ouattara secures Brentford’s first win at Newcastle in 92 years
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