“Some people think I should play - some people think I should be nowhere near it and can’t play a two-yard pass,” he said in a TV interview at the weekend. While Bruno Guimaraes, Joe Willock and Sandro Tonali were all serenaded from the St James’ Park stands at various stages of Saturday’s 1-0 win over Arsenal, Longstaff’s name went unsung despite the North Shields native being an academy product made good and a boyhood fan of the Magpies. The 27-year-old accepts he is never going to be the biggest-name midfielder at the club.
Increasingly, though, the evidence is mounting to suggest he might be the most important. Newcastle have won seven matches in all competitions this season, and Longstaff has started every one of them. The six games when he has not been in the starting XI have resulted in three draws and three defeats.
“I don’t think that’s a coincidence,” said Eddie Howe, whose side are beginning to develop something of a stranglehold over Arsenal at St James’, having won three of their last four home games against the Gunners. “Statistically, the team with Sean in it does have a very high win percentage. “We do look at those type of things because sometimes it can give you a clue.
It’s not going to give you the answers, but it can give you a clue around some things. Sean does bring his qualities – his tactical understanding is second to none, and that does help the team in lots of ways. But there’s other reasons for that.
I don’t think.
