Newcastle's 1-0 win against Wimbledon in the Carabao Cup 3rd round fixture helped them advance through to the next stage of the tournament. Although this win felt not very convincing on the back of a brilliant team effort against Manchester City, Eddie Howe would be happy with the win, considering he started a much-rotated lineup for the game.
26-year-old Midfield Ace: The Cameo star against Wimbledon
In this win at St. James, only a few starters, like Fabian Schar, looked in form for the Magpies side. While captaining the Tyneside club, the center-back stood brilliantly, both in defensive and offensive presence. Bringing the only goal of the night for the Magpies side, apart from his usual defensive heroics, the 32-year-old veteran rightfully was the MOTM for the fixture. However, there's another Toon star who looked excellent even though he got considerably fewer minutes in the game.
As was much clear, Newcastle's front three, consisting of a single regular starter, Harvey Barnes, had looked rather dull in converting chances in the second half, leading to Eddie Howe making a key change at the time. In place of star winger Barnes, Howe brought in his regular armband holder, midfield ace Bruno Guimaraes.
The effect of this change was much evident in the second half. Not only did the Brazilian's incoming organize their forward play but also injected the much-needed intensity and aggression into the club's playstyle. In only 45 minutes of regular play, the star number 6 recorded an impressive 66 touches and came close to recording an assist in the fixture.
With his brilliant display, Bruno Guimaraes once again showcased why he is one of the best in his role. Not only did Eddie Howe's master move of bringing in Guimaraes prove crucial to their overall performance, but this also ensured him enough game minutes to maintain his brilliant ongoing run.
In Newcastle's recent fixtures against Manchester City and Wimbledon, star ace Bruno Guimaraes seems to have found the form he has been searching for since the season started. Going forward, Magpies fans would hope that the midfielder continues the same way, playing a crucial role in their overall season ahead.