Joe Buck: Tom Brady has already witnessed the best performance of Superbowl weekend in Newcastle United win

Birmingham City sat pretty at the top of the League One table and unbeaten in 18 matches in all competitions when they welcomed Newcastle United to St Andrew’s on Saturday night. The Blues look destined to bounce straight back to the Championship after being relegated last season during the first season under new American ownership.

With former New England Patriots quarterback and the most decorated one in the sports history to boot, Tom Brady, as one of their high-profile backers, the future looks bright for Birmingham City. Tom Wagner, one of Birmingham’s co-owners, revealed to the BBC at half-time of their defeat against Newcastle United that Brady is heavily-involved with the team: “I’ve got a loadful of messages from him [Brady],” Wagner said.

“He calls all the time, he’s very engaged with Chris Davies and the team. I’m sure he’s watching. We love having him here.”

If Brady, as Wagner hinted, was watching on Saturday, then he would have witnessed a very good start by his club, before Newcastle United, Will Osula, and Sandro Tonali took charge. A lightning quick start by the Blues had them ahead within a minute as a shellshocked Newcastle United side searched for answers and a route back into the game.

They gradually did that foothold by foothold with Osula their driving force. Two assists, although one of those may not have been entirely deliberate, and a number of dominating runs that scared his opponents saw him end the first period as his side’s standout man.

That crown would soon be passed to Tonali, however, with the Italian yet again showing his immense talents both on and off the ball to ensure his side left the field victorious. Wherever and whenever he was needed, Tonali was there.

It could have been easy amongst Joe Willock’s headline stealing brace for Tonali to have gone under-the-radar on a wet night in the Midlands, but it’s a credit to his tenacity, drive and willingness to do the hard yards that ensured he was yet again their star man. Not your traditional ‘quarterback’ No.6, Tonali’s battling and endless energy means that is how he dictates play, rather than by launching Hail Mary’s for a touchdown.

If the play needs slowing down, Tonali can do that. If they need to speed it up again, he’ll do that.

It’s a skill that no one else at the club possesses and why Bruno Guimaraes, who played that role for much of last season, is now playing better in a more advanced role. Guimaraes is brilliant, there’s no question about that, but at what Tonali does on a football pitch, there’s no one better in the Premier League.

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