Newcastle: Joelinton struggled vs Spurs | OneFootball

PIF’s start to life at Newcastle got off to a less than ideal start as the Magpies lost 3-2 to Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday.

First and foremost, we must send out best wishes to the Newcastle fan who was taken to hospital during the first half after emergency assistance was required in the stands. Credit must go to Sergio Reguilon and Eric Dier, in particular, as they acted quickly to ensure the fan was helped as quickly as possible.

It was the dream start for the Magpies, though, as Callum Wilson powered home an excellent header in the opening minutes to hand Steve Bruce’s side the lead.

However, goals from Tanguy Ndombele, Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son put Tottenham 3-1 up heading into the half-time break.

Misery was then compiled by Jonjo Shelvey coming off the bench and being sent off for two bookable offences in the second half just before Eric Dier’s own goal. However, another player who let Bruce down badly was Joelinton, who struggled out wide on the left throughout the game.

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The Brazilian forward may have helped to seal Bruce’s fate at St. James’ Park, playing a part in the defeat which could see him axed as manager of the club. PIF are reportedly planning to let him go as they look at replacements and this defeat could speed up the process, whilst ending any chance he had to keep his role.

Defensively, he was a lightweight. Per SofaScore, he lost a whopping 19 duels in the match. He lost 15 of his 19 ground battles and four of his nine in the air, whilst also committing five fouls. This shows that he was not up to the physical task of playing against Tottenham’s Emerson Royal, with his fellow countryman able to lock him up for the entire 90 minutes.

On the ball, the Englishman offered nothing. Per SofaScore, he lost possession of the ball 24 times as he failed with all of his attempted crosses and dribbles. In 65 touches, he registered one key pass and zero efforts on goal, completing 74% of his passes. This shows that he was unable to make an impact in the final third, to go along with his lack of strength on the other side of the game.

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Therefore, the flop’s performance played a large role in the 3-2 defeat as he could have been the difference on the if he popped up with a crucial goal or assist to level the match or even help to win it. Instead, his dismal showing may have sealed Bruce’s fate, with the 60-year-old potentially hanging on by a thread as PIF weigh up their options for the upcoming week.