Bruno Guimaraes' importance highlighted by no Newcastle wins in his absence
Liverpool was the sixth Premier League match that Bruno Guimaraes has missed for Newcastle this season and it was no surprise there was no win at St James' Park on Saturday night.
It's now six games and no league wins without Guimaraes this season, a rather worrying and telling stat for Eddie Howe that tells us where Newcastle are as squad and even a club right now.
Newcastle are punching so far above their weight it's not true. Think about Jake Paul winning his big fight with Fury on Saturday, but knocking out Tyson instead of Tommy. That is the scale of how well Howe has been and is doing at St James’ Park.
This squad should not be in the top four in the Premier League, but their place there is pure testament to the job being done by Howe.
That said, there is only so much he can do at times. Take out the best player in any team around the world and it will have an impact. Guimaraes is Newcastle's best player by some distance.
Guimaraes is world class. Those who doubt he is only need look at how Newcastle have performed without him over the past few weeks.
He has just finished up a three-game ban, with Newcastle failing to win any of the matches he missed. Indeed, looking further back over the course of the season, Newcastle are without a win in every Premier League game they have been without their South American talisman.
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With him in the team, they average over two points per game, but without him it is less than a point. They also score nearly two goals a game with Guimaraes present, more than double than without him, and concede twice as many without him.
Basically, they are a shadow of the team when he is not playing. But that is just where Newcastle are at the moment.
They are not rushing their project. Guimaraes' absence and subsequent Newcastle performances have been disappointing, but it is very hard to just replace your best player. The fact Howe had to hand a full debut to youngster Elliot Anderson on Saturday shows just where they are in terms of their squad rebuild.
Bruno himself knows what working for Howe means. He knows Howe will get things right; there is nobody who has more belief in the Newcastle boss than him. The Samba superstar stressed his manager's importance earlier in the season and it rings true following the Liverpool loss.
"He’s turned water into wine here, leading a team that many saw as virtually relegated to the middle of the table," he revealed.
"He’s bringing a winning mentality to the club. Eddie has always given me confidence. He would come to me and ask, ‘Where do you prefer to play? Here? There? OK. What’s your favourite role on the pitch? I want to help you adjust to my playing style but you have your own characteristics too – where do you think you can help me most'?"
Not winning without Guimaraes will be a wory, but for Newcastle and Howe, it is just something they are going have to overcome. And they will.