Newcastle United and Eddie Howe should have known. No Premier League team had scored more than Brentford at home this season — so they did not really need Newcastle to gift them their opening three goals.
Bryan Mbeumo curled the home side, who have now won 22 of their 23 points at home, ahead in the eighth minute, cutting inside Lewis Hall too easily. Newcastle were level three minutes later when Alexander Isak reacted brilliantly to turn a wayward Jacob Murphy shot into a goal, powering a diving header beyond Mark Flekken.
Harvey Barnes then gifted Brentford a second on 28, playing a blind pass in field, which Yoane Wissa snatched upon and finished well. Within four minutes, Barnes had made amends, however, by firing in a second leveller.
More dreadful defending 11 minutes after the restart allowed Brentford to take the lead for a third time — Flekken’s long punt forward converted by Nathan Collins.
Sandro Tonali should have added a third leveller when he nodded over and the game was over when Kevin Schade clipped in a fourth in the final minute.
The Athletic’s Chris Waugh analyses the talking points from the Gtech Stadium.
Why are Newcastle shipping so many goals?
There had been a league-high 34 goals at the Gtech Community Stadium before this match, 22 contributed by Brentford, so a scorefest was to be expected — but the manner of the three Newcastle conceded was terrible. They ranged from the poor to the abysmal.
Hall should not have allowed Mbeumo the time and space to cut inside and shoot for the first, Barnes’ blind pass across field to Wissa was brainless, while the third was so basic that it is the type of goal that is rarely scored at the top level.
Flekken launched a free-kick from inside his own half towards the Newcastle box and, while the swirling wind made aerial balls difficult to defend, Fabian Schar lost its flight while competing for a header with Thiago, it was allowed to bounce and Collins finished across Pope.
Collins beats Burn and Pope for Brentford’s third goal (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
When you score twice away from home, you should be able to return with at least a point. But when you concede three such sloppy goals on your travels, then you will deservedly leave with nothing.
Newcastle’s lapses in concentration are beyond frustrating, just like their wildly vacillating form.
Harvey Barnes – an engima?
Howe, for once, had forecast changes to his starting XI, revealing that Anthony Gordon was fatigued after Liverpool and Tonali had suffered cramp. Sean Longstaff and Barnes came in for the pair — and the latter was central to the first-half action. At both ends.
Making his first start since October 27 and only his sixth in the league this season, Barnes’ direct running down the left constantly caused Brentford problems. However, his first major contribution came in the 28th minute, playing a blind pass across the pitch, handing possession to Wissa, who scored Brentford’s second.
Rather than sulk, Barnes once again proved his potency, levelling within four minutes. Murphy cut a pass back from the right-hand byline, Barnes swivelled in the box and finished low across Flekken.
That made it three seasons in a row that Barnes has scored at the Gtech for Leicester City and Newcastle, while it was his fifth goal of 2024-25 so far, albeit only his second in his past 10 appearances.
Barnes makes amends for his error with the second equaliser (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
With an assist as well, Barnes has as many goal contributions as he does league starts this season. Yet he remains an enigma. He regularly contributes important goals and assists, but is also often anonymous; there is no in between.
That is why he is struggling to secure a regular starting spot, despite his potency.
Exasperating inconsistency — and another away defeat
Newcastle’s away form has steadily improved over the past few months, but they still have issues on their travels. Since the start of last season, Newcastle have lost 14 of their 27 matches on the road. Ironically, only Brentford (18 losses) have tasted defeat more often away in that time.
More of a pressing concern, however, is Newcastle’s general exasperating inconsistency. Regardless of venue, they just cannot follow one positive performance with another.
Newcastle can be intense and at times brilliant against Liverpool, the runaway league leaders, in midweek, then sloppy at the back throughout at Brentford and toothless in front of goal during the second half.
Once Brentford took the lead, Newcastle rarely looked like rescuing a point. Instead, they were fortunate not to lose by a greater deficit.
On Friday, Howe spoke about “attitude being everything” for a team, hinting that he felt his players treated matches against elite opposition differently to games against so-called ‘lesser sides’.
Until this psychological hurdle is overcome, Newcastle will continue to languish in the bottom half, rather than competing for Europe.
It is impossible to know what Newcastle side will turn up against Leicester at home next weekend, and that is an indictment in itself.
What did Eddie Howe say?
We will bring you this after he has spoken at the post-match press conference.
What next for Newcastle?
Saturday, December 14: Leicester City (H), Premier League, 3pm GMT, 10am ET
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(Top photo: Newcastle’s defending left a lot to be desired. John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images)
