BBC Sport pundit on the money here with Newcastle United? | OneFootball

Some interesting comments from this BBC Sport pundit on Newcastle United.

Chris Sutton speaking ahead of Sunday’s match.

Newcastle United kicking off in their final match before the latest (November) international break.

Facing Brentford at the GTech Community Stadium in a 2pm kick-off.

The Newcastle United players knowing how massive this would be if they can get a first Premier League away win of the season.

Eddie Howe and Newcastle United now twelve weeks into the season.

Chris Sutton talking to BBC Sport – 6 November 2025:

“I didn’t recognise Newcastle when I watched them lose at West Ham last weekend.

“They were better when they beat Athletic Club at St James’ Park in the Champions League in midweek, but their away form – or lack of it – must be a concern for boss Eddie Howe.

“They are still solid defensively most of the time but scoring goals seems a particular problem for them when they are on the road. I can see why from watching that West Ham game because they just did not work the goalkeeper enough.

“The way Brentford play under Keith Andrews, he is happy to set them up to play on the counter-attack even when they are at home, and I can see Newcastle struggling to break them down too.

“I know I have gone for a few draws already this week, but this game smells of another one to me.

“Prediction: Brentford 0 Newcastle 0”

My thoughts

So is the BBC Sport pundit on the money here?

I think Chris Sutton has given a pretty decent overview on this next match and the various issues surrounding it.

The West Ham match was just bizarre, pretty much all the NUFC players who got on the pitch were out of sorts, even though Murphy gave Newcastle that fourth minute lead.

Eddie Howe and his team bounced back to make it five home victories in a row with the 2-0 against Athletic Bilbao. It was a decent performance against tricky opponents, although things still not totally clicking.

Having lost to the Hammers and unluckily with the late goal at Brighton in the last two Premier League away games, maybe it wouldn’t be any surprise if we saw Eddie Howe look to try and get back to the defensive solidity that helped produced a trio of clean sheets (and goalless draws) in the first three PL away games of the season at Villa, Leeds and Bournemouth.

Not a case of setting out for a goalless draw but maybe rather than looking to play a more open match, Eddie Howe potentially prioritising trying to keep a clean sheet and then finding a goal at the other end a huge bonus.

Brentford have a really good home record this season, defeating Villa in both the Premier League and League Cup. Also home wins over Liverpool and Man U, the Bees scoring three goals in each of those two games.

The one defeat at home for Brentford saw Man City take the lead through Haaland in the 9th minute and then totally shut up shop, barely creating another decent chance but restricting Brentford to more or less the same. Fair to say that Eddie Howe would absolutely love that, if United can emulate what Pep Guardiola’s side did at the Gtech Community Stadium in early October with that 1-0 away victory.