Newcastle United have been a nightmarishly difficult team to predict this season.
One week they might look like one of the best teams in the country, and then the next they’ll struggle to win a match they’re favourites for.
Fortunately, Eddie Howe’s side showed the positive side of themselves on Saturday afternoon, demolishing Everton 4-1 away from home.
There were sensational performances across the board for Newcastle, particularly from Malick Thaw and another starter who is starting to prove he is one of the best in the Premier League in his position.
Newcastle's best performers against Everton
While it is hard to single out players following their performance on Saturday night, there are a few who stood out just that little bit more, like Lewis Miley.
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The academy graduate made just his fifth start of the season against the Toffees, and even though he’s still just 19 years old, he looked like a seasoned veteran.
Practically everything he tried came off, and on top of providing an assist, he scored his first goal of the season just 25 minutes into the match.
Speaking of goalscorers, summer signing Nick Woltemade was back in amongst it.
He got the Magpies’ third on the night with an audacious chip from close range and then could have had another were it not for a good save from Jordan Pickford in the second 45.
However, when it comes to the man of the match, it’s hard to look past Thiaw.
The German defender was monstrous at the back and more than made his mark going forward as well, scoring in the first minute to get things underway, and then grabbing a second in the second half.
Unsurprisingly, the five-capped international left quite the impression on the watching press, with Chronicle Live’s Lee Ryder awarding him a 10/10 match rating at full-time, writing that he ‘Rose like Shearer twice.’
Yet, there was another starter who put in a performance that, like Thiaw, shows he should be considered among the best in his position in the Premier League.
Not just Thiaw: Newcastle star has become one of the league's best
On top of those already mentioned, the Newcastle starter who deserves immense credit for his performance against Everton and has to be considered among the best in the league is Lewis Hall.
The former Chelsea gem was incredible on Saturday night and practically flawless in every aspect of the game, be that attacking or defending.
For example, it was his cross in the 56th minute that led to Thiaw’s second strike, and he certainly wasn’t to blame for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s consolation goal.
The Chronicle’s Ryder was just as impressed with the full-back, writing that he ‘oozed class down the left’ and awarded him a 9/10 match rating at full-time.
While that might sound a little hyperbolic, it certainly isn’t, and the 21-year-old’s statistics prove as much.
In his 89 minutes of action, he produced an expected assists figure of 0.49, won 100% of his tackles, blocked one shot, recovered the ball twice, created two big chances, completed 50 passes, took 87 touches, completed three dribbles, and took one shot.
It was the sort of performance that lends real credence to talent scout Jacek Kulig’s claim that the Englishman is “one of the best left-backs in the Premier League.”
Minutes
89′
Expected Assists
0.49
Assists
1
Tackles (Won)
2 (2)
Clearances
1
Blocked Shots
1
Recoveries
2
Ground Duels (Won)
7 (5)
Big Chances Created
2
Key Passes
2
Touches
87
Dribbles (Successful)
4 (3)
Shots
1
However, while the wider league might only be waking up to that fact now, the Toon faithful have known this to be the case for some time.
After all, the team haven’t lost a game in which he has started this season, and it could be argued that he’s not even back to his very best yet after suffering from a hamstring injury earlier in the campaign.
Ultimately, he is still young, but there is no denying that Hall is an extraordinarily talented footballer, and so long as he keeps performing as he did on Saturday, it’ll become increasingly difficult to deny that he is one of the best full-backs in the Premier League.
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