Newcastle United star doesn't look fit as Bruno Guimaraes problem emerges - five things

There's broadly two ways to judge a game of football, and sometimes they don't always tally.

First, there's the naked eye test. What the game looks like, what it feels like when watched live. Then, secondly, there's the statistical take. How the stats and facts paint their own picture of the action.

For this encounter, both gave a very one-sided account. I know lots don't like XG, so we can keep it simple stats-wise - 34 shots to five was only the start.

Then to the naked eye, this very much felt like one-way traffic. Newcastle goals and rare chances came against the grain. That's not how Eddie Howe saw it, but, as it always is, this sport is one full of opinions, some more qualified than others.

Here's five key takeaways from the encounter - including some concerns ahead of what feels like the most significant game of United's season at Sunderland on Saturday.

Midfield balance is off - change needed

I'm not a Premier League manager, as some more than fair voices on X told me last night in relation to a tweet questioning Newcastle and Howe's midfield plan.

However, I think I've seen enough football to know when a plan isn't working. And Howe's midfield setup is faltering - and doing so, badly.

The team gets ran over by teams who pull the Newcastle three out of position. And even when seemingly in a disciplined shape, a simple pass or two and the whole of the centre of the pitch is opened up at ease.

The three of Sean Longstaff, Bruno Guimaraes and Lewis Miley is not working. Howe needs to find some answers to this increasingly problematic department.

Over-reliance on Bruno

The Brazilian was far from his best at Anfield. In fact, it was one of his worst showings in a long while. I am, however, going to make a case for him, as I do not believe this system and the way Howe is setting up this team is in any way beneficial to Guimaraes.

Bruno is looked upon as the man to provide defensive cover to the back four, home and away, but in the same breath he is needed to provide a spark in the final third and drive the team on? Surely he needs some help, a delegation of tasks, if you will?

Longstaff and Miley alongside him are not really doing either at the moment. Longstaff looks out of sorts on the left, while Miley is being asked to do some steep defensive learning on the job, as talented he looks facing the opposition goal with the ball.

Is Anthony Gordon fit or not?

He certainly doesn't look it, that's for sure. The wideman, as brilliant as he has been this season, looks cooked 20 minutes into games these days. He did, obviously come alive for the goal, by the way, showing his class with the assist.

Knock after knock and after being flogged week after week, really looks to have taken its toll on a player who has emerged as one of the brightest talents in the English game since the summer.

Left side weakness

Dan Burn isn't everyone's cup of tea and I think he's to the taste of even fewer after a tough week.

Woefully left exposed against Nottingham Forest, Howe's insistence on his full-backs playing very narrow without the ball leaves Burn with so much ground to cover against top wingers. On Monday night, Mo Salah had the run of the whole wing with Burn never closer than 30 yards away when he received it.

It's doing the player no favours, especially when his cover is limited at best when Gordon plays in front. The team needs Kieran Trippier back and firing, as it had better speed and balance with Tino Livramento on the other side.

Sunderland win eases pressure - a loss, though?

Unthinkable, right? Well, the match is a hell of a lot more even today than it was the day the draw was made.

Newcastle have the class and quality to win the game, but do they have the confidence? Only time will tell on that one.

What a win would do is ease pressure around the club and restore some faith with supporters, whose emotions have been tested to the limits in a rollercoaster campaign so far.

A defeat, however, would, I have little doubt, turn things sour for some.A draw and replay at St James' Park? Think most would snap your hand off for it right now.