¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ

NEWCASTLE: It seemed only fitting that one year on from those jubilant takeover scenes, Newcastle United would again create a party atmosphere at St. James’ Park.
Eddie Howe’s Magpies were in rampant form on Tyneside as they put Brentford to the sword, with Bruno Guimaraes the man at the heart of it all.
The crafty Brazilian netted twice on the day from defensive midfield as he orchestrated yet another comprehensive win for United.
Miguel Almiron took his goals tally for the season to four, making him top-scorer ahead of Callum Wilson, while Jacob Murphy got his first of the campaign before an Ethan Pinnock own goal rounded things off.
While Ivan Toney netted from the spot for the visitors, as United climbed into the Premier League’s top five with three points.
Having seen off Fulham at Craven Cottage with relative ease last weekend, head coach Howe stuck with the same starting XI against the Bees.
And it was one of those who he decided to keep in the side — Murphy — who more than justified his decision, with a pacey, dynamic display, capped with the second in a blistering opening 45 at St. James’ Park.
So close to bagging a hat-trick last weekend, Almiron almost added another to his growing collection of United wonder goals. His cut in from the right was tipped wide by David Raya when it looked destined for the far corner.
Despite a dominant start, Brentford showed they can hurt anyone on the break. And they had the ball in the net with 11 minutes gone only for VAR, and referee John Brooks to rule it out.
The impressive Bryan Mbuemo found the bottom corner of Nick Pope’s goal only for Ivan Toney to be ruled out for offside, having been adjudged to have interfered with play in the build-up.
It was a let off for United, and it was not one they weren’t going to take warning of.
Vibrant in attack, full of pressing and running, and creating chances galore, it looks like only a matter of time before Newcastle score in games at the moment — and score they did on 22. It was something a little special, too.
Straight off the training pitches of the club’s Benton training base, Almiron played back to creator-in-chief, Kieran Trippier, whose high ball to the back post was nodded brilliantly past Raya for 1-0.
It was two goals to the good soon after when Raya inexplicably played the ball straight to Wilson who drove into the area and cut back for Murphy to score his first of the season.
No matter the game, no matter the opposition, every team always has a period in a game — and just after half-time was Brentford’s.
They managed to reduce the deficit when a cross was handled by Dan Burn in the area and former United frontman Toney, who never misses, to tuck home from the spot.
What’s the perfect way to answer that? A goal, of course.
And that man Bruno was again the man on the spot for United. Winning the ball back as Brentford looked to break, the Brazilian strode into wide open spaces in front of him and caressed the ball into Raya’s bottom corner.
Wilson went close to making it four when he hammered wide after a smart free-kick by Sean Longstaff put him free. The home faithful didn’t have long to wait for that fourth, however, when an error Pinnock gifted Almiron possession in the area and the Paraguayan rounded the keeper for a deserved fourth.
That bit of icing was put on the Geordie cake, one year on from those jubilant scenes, when Pinnock clipped a Joelinton cross past the helpless Raya for 5-1.
And with that, United made it nine goals in a week in the Premier League — it’s fair to say it feels like a long time since they’ve done anything remotely close to that. In fact, you have to go back two decades and the reign of the late, great Sir Bobby Robson to find a sequence where United have netted four goals in successive Premier League encounters.
All that, without really feeling like they’re firing on all cylinders. It still feels like there is more to come from Howe’s men — and long may this upward trajectory continue.