Newcastle United: 5 things we learned from the 1-1 draw against Burnley

Newcastle United dropped two points at St. James’ Park as the crucial match against Burnley finished 1-1.

A lack of concentration and composure in the final ten minutes of the match led to Burnley taking an undeserved point on the road at St. James’ Park on Wednesday evening. Newcastle United dominated most of the match, but several missed opportunities hurt the club in the end.

It was a lively match from the opening whistle and the rivalry between the two clubs only intensified in the second half. With plenty of ground to cover from Wednesday’s match, here are five things we learned.

Kenedy’s Debut

The newest member of Newcastle United arrived from Chelsea last week, and the young winger proved to be a major upgrade in the club’s midfield. Kenedy was full of energy from the start of the match and the Brazilian did not lack confidence.

Kenedy showcased his passing accuracy, his ability to spread the field, his ability to attract multiple defenders to the ball and he was able to create scoring chances on his own. From his shot that struck the post to the moment he earned a penalty, Kenedy made life difficult for Burnley. With 13 matches remaining, Rafa Benitez can rest assured that his first new signing was worth every penny.

Mohamed Diame

The defensive midfielder has enjoyed good form in recent weeks and that trend continued against Burnley. From a tactical standpoint, Mohamed Diame played his best match of the season on Wednesday as he broke free from defenders multiple times, found open players while under pressure and did well to keep the ball going forward.

While most fans thought that Jonjo Shelvey deserved to start because of his brilliant performance against Chelsea, Diame’s display against Burnley only created more internal competition for playing time. For the first time this season, the duo of Mikel Merino and Mohamed Diame looked good.

Ball Possession

Newcastle United are known for their lack of possession even against the most inferior opponents, but Wednesday was a different story. For the first time this season, the Magpies dominated the possession statistics, especially in the first half.

With 13 matches remaining and the relegation battle being as tight as it is, one key to survival this season will be to maintain more possession of the ball as it leads to the build-up of meaningful attacks.

Aggressive Football

Throughout the season, Newcastle United have been criticized for lacking sufficient energy and aggression, but both attributes were present against Burnley. Every midfielder fought for 50-50 balls, defenders blocked off potential threatening runs with hard tackles down the flank and everyone closed in on the opposition rapidly.

This type of aggression can be the difference-maker for Newcastle United in the last four months of the season, especially against other bottom-half sides where matches will certainly be competitive.

90 Minutes of Concentration

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As mentioned earlier in this article, the Magpies played well for 80 of the 90 minutes against Burnley. It is difficult to maintain a minimal lead when the opposition alters their formation to replace a midfielder with another striker, however, Newcastle could have won this match.

The Magpies essentially defeated themselves with the missed opportunities from Joselu earlier in the game, but the lack of defensive concentration in the last ten minutes enabled Burnley to attack from the wings and force successive set pieces.

With Crystal Palace up next on Sunday, the Magpies must make the most of their opportunities while maintaining composure for all 90 minutes on the back-line as well.