I was stunned at the classy thing Thomas Frank did following Newcastle United v Brentford

A goal on the stroke of half-time from Alexander Isak put Eddie Howe’s side ahead before Bryan Mbeumo dispatched a spot-kick to level for the Bees. With the score all square, it seemed like it would take a moment of magic to secure someone all three points - and that’s exactly how it transpired.

Up stepped Sandro Tonali to hammer home from a seemingly impossible range and angle to put his side back ahead and secure them a valuable win in the race for European football. It was a brilliant strike from Tonali, one that Frank would admit post-match was a ‘one in a million’ hit that went against his side.

“I'm very pleased with the performance,” the Bees boss said. “I felt we kept Newcastle quiet the first half more or less, except the first minute and the last minute of the half.

“I think that was a brilliant away performance in the first half. In the second half, we are coming back into the game. A great attack that gave us the penalty. We are this close to scoring from Ethan’s header on the inside of the post and that can maybe decide the game.

“If you are up 2-1, there are still a few minutes left of the game. And then another marginal situation that went against us - the Tonali cross. I asked him if it was a cross, I just had to be sure. And that's one in a million.

“So the performance is very good. If you want to win a game like this, you need, just like any game, but to win a tight game against a good team, you need some of the margins to go your way.”

Thomas Frank’s classy gesture

It could have been easy for Frank to share his frustrations at how the game panned out on Wednesday night as his side found themselves on the wrong side of a number of key decisions and game changing moments. However, the 51-year-old cut a composed figure in his post-match media briefing, praising the Magpies for their participation in what was a really hard fought game.

As he stepped up to leave, Frank turned to the waiting media and, completely unprompted, congratulated Newcastle United on their Carabao Cup triumph. It was a brilliant moment from Frank and one that will undoubtedly further endear him to Newcastle United fans the world over.

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Of course, it was Brentford who Newcastle beat in the last-eight of the League Cup en route to their win over Liverpool at Wembley as, once again, a Tonali-inspired performance saw them run-out 3-1 winners on that occasion against a side that had beaten them just eleven days earlier. Speaking post-match that day, Frank revealed his hope that Eddie Howe’s side could go on to lift the cup, end the monopoly the ‘Top Six’ had had on the trophy and ultimately end their seven decade wait for a major honour.

“I want Newcastle to win [the Carabao Cup],” he said back in December. “I think they can win it. We have Liverpool, Arsenal [in the semi-final] - we need a change. It would mean more to the Newcastle fans as well.”

Your next Newcastle United read: Alan Shearer loved what Sandro Tonali did v Brentford