Newcastle's struggles on the road continued as they fell to a 3-1 defeat against Brentford, leaving manager Eddie Howe to shoulder the blame for their poor away form. The loss extends their winless away run in the Premier League to nine matches.
The Magpies initially took the lead when Harvey Barnes scored his 50th Premier League goal, offering a glimmer of hope for a change in fortunes. However, Brentford quickly responded, with Kevin Schade equalising after Nick Pope missed a flick-on from a long throw. Igor Thiago then scored twice, including one from the penalty spot, to seal the victory for the home side.
Howe expressed his disappointment at the team's inability to capitalize on their early lead. He acknowledged the physical challenge posed by Brentford but felt his team didn't react well enough after conceding the first goal. "I'm very disappointed that we got ourselves in a good position again and weren't able to capitalise on that,” Howe said. "It was always going to be a tough, physical game and we needed to stand up to that".
The game was not without controversy. Brentford had a penalty appeal turned down when Dan Burn fouled Dango Ouattara, with Ouattara booked for diving. However, a few minutes later, Burn was penalised for another challenge on Ouattara, resulting in a penalty and a second yellow card for Burn. Thiago converted the penalty, adding to Newcastle's woes.
Adding to Newcastle's problems, goalkeeper Nick Pope was forced off with a concussion after a collision with Thiago. Aaron Ramsdale replaced him but could not prevent Thiago from scoring his second goal late in the game. Concerns regarding Pope's form have been raised, with some suggesting he should be replaced as the first-choice goalkeeper.
Howe took full responsibility for the team's poor away form, admitting it was "not good enough". He stressed the importance of supporting the players and finding solutions during the international break. "We know it's not good enough and I take full responsibility for that and if we want to get that right it starts now," Howe stated. "The analysis will take place and it is going to be a long international break. We need to find a solution to the away form and we need to stick together".
Newcastle now face a challenging period, needing to address their away form and cope with injuries and suspensions. The team's performance is under scrutiny, and Howe faces pressure to turn things around. The Newcastle manager also said that the team needs to stick together and still feels the love and support of the supporters.
