‘Let’s not sugar coat it’: Jamie Carragher delivers honest verdict on ‘outstanding’ Newcastle player

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Jamie Carragher was blown away by how good Newcastle United star Joelinton was against Manchester United last night.

The Brazilian has looked a completely different player since Eddie Howe came into the club. He is finally showing his worth to the world and that too, in a completely unfamiliar position.

Joelinton played in central midfield yesterday and he was absolutely outstanding. He was the best player on the pitch in many people’s eyes and Carragher, who watched him live on Sky Sports Monday Night Football, was beyond impressed.

Here’s what the Liverpool legend said about Joelinton last night.

Carragher: Joelinton was outstanding for Newcastle

The Englishman said: “He was brilliant. That was an outstanding midfield performance by any standard.

“His running with the ball, he wins the ball back. The power he showed.

“He has taken some criticism. Let’s not sugarcoat it, he was really poor as a centre-forward.

“Eddie Howe has put him in a midfield position and he has looked Newcastle’s best player. It was a superb performance. Rightly so, he gets man of the match.”

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Not many people would’ve expected Joelinton to become the player he is now a few weeks ago. The Brazilian really struggled under Steve Bruce, but the cause of that was the system, not the Brazilian’s quality.

With Howe at the helm now, Joelinton has a manager who knows how to get the best out of him. The Brazilian clearly has the physique to become a good midfielder, and his performance last night showed that he can step up against the big teams as well.

It will be interesting to see if Joelinton will be transformed into a number eight in the coming weeks. Howe certainly seems happy with the way he can fill in there, and if he can make the Brazilian become even better in the middle of the park, Newcastle’s chances of survival will increase considerably.