Flying Magpies
Matchweek 13 - 2022/23
Newcastle United’s 2-1 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this weekend pushed them into the top four. Hold on, Newcastle is in the top four?
Before I get ahead of myself, Newcastle found success as the game settled down after resisting early pressure from the North London club. Though midfielder Miguel Almirón scored what would be the winning goal in the 40th minute, the decisive Moment had come ten minutes earlier.
Magpies center back Fabian Schär launched forward a half-hearted ball for Callum Wilson to chase. Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris was confident and quick off his line, but rather than comfortably clearing the ball he seemed to be caught in two minds and neither cleared it nor took a controlling touch. Instead, he knocked it no more than a few yards and collided with Wilson. As Lloris tipped over backwards with arms raised, the Newcastle forward turned around and chipped the ball into an empty net.
The referee was quickly surrounded by Spurs players, demanding for a call to be made. But for what foul? On the replay, Wilson can be seen charging down the fifty-fifty ball, but pulling out as he sees Lloris arriving first. He makes a clear effort to avoid the collision, and even takes a few steps to the side though it’s not enough. While Wilson does use his arm to brace against Lloris and pivot towards the loose ball, this was far from a foul.
Hugo Lloris is an incredibly accomplished player, but he made a big mistake and tried to cover it up by appealing for a push. The Newcastle forward had only stood his ground as the opposing goalkeeper plowed through the ball, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
VAR correctly decided Wilson had not impeded him, and Newcastle had the momentum and lead they needed. Almirón slotted a second goal past Lloris ten minutes later, and they held on for the win and their 21st points of the season.
Times have not always been this successful for the Toon Army. During their current run in the top flight since earning promotion in the 2017/18 season, Newcastle have never finished higher than tenth. Their best finish in the Premier League era came in 1996/97. This year, they currently sit in fourth, above established sides including Chelsea, Manchester United, and Liverpool. Where has this new success come from?
In late 2021, a group of businesses led by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia purchased the Tyneside club for a reported fee of over $400 million, with the PIF owning an eighty percent share. The takeover was highly controversial, and they were accused of using Newcastle as a sportswashing opportunity to improve the Saudi government’s reputation amid human rights abuses. It also called into question the buying power and Financial Fair Play issues behind club owners, such as whether the Saudi government would actually be the controlling force behind the scenes, and whether the PIF’s nearly $350 billion net worth would lead to unfair advantages.
Some Newcastle fans overlooked the issues and were excited at the prospect of the wealth beyond imagination leading to a new stadium, the best players in the world, and investments in the surrounding community. At the time of the takeover, the breakaway European Super League also created doubts as fans globally worried about another example of owners manipulating the game for their own profits. The takeover, though some tensions have died down, is still criticized by human rights organizations and for damaging the Premier League’s competitive reputation, and it remains a critical part of Newcastle’s recent history. Any discussion of their success certainly must be put in context with their owners.
Beyond the off-the-pitch events, Newcastle has been playing very well on the field. Eddie Howe was brought in as the first manager under the Saudi ownership, and his prior impressive work with Bournemouth seems to be carrying over to St. James’ Park. Backed by the PIF, the club has spent close to $150 million on new signings in each of the past two summer transfer windows.
Contributions from new signings like Bruno Guimarães and experienced leaders like Miguel Almirón have pushed Newcastle to new heights this year. Almirón now has five goals in his last five games, including another winning goal the week before. His goalscoring has played a big role in Newcastle finding themselves in a Champions League position after twelve games, as surprising as that is to say.
Callum Wilson’s smart finish opened the game up for Newcastle. Staying clear of Lloris’s antics and focusing on putting the ball in the net after their collision destroyed Spurs’ usual approach of counterattacking and then defending their lead. Newcastle has been a consistently mid-table side in recent years and despite only five wins this season, they must be respected for putting enough results together to earn their position. Wilson’s fourth goal of the season helped his team grind out a win and jump into the top four. Fighting hard for results like this and now without playing a side currently ranked above them until January, we should be less surprised that this season the Magpies look to be in full flight.
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