Former Newcastle United midfielder makes bold Eddie Howe midfield claim - 'It's vital'
Former Newcastle United midfielder makes bold Eddie Howe midfield claim.
Newcastle United ‘might have the best midfield in the Premier League’ right now.
That’s according to Jeff Hendrick, a former midfielder for the club between August 2020 and July 2024. Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton have developed an incredible chemistry under Eddie Howe, with each offering something unique to the Magpies’ engine room.
Few can match the attacking output of Guimaraes, the control and industry of Tonali, or the tenacity of Joelinton. Together, they have formed the keystone of Newcastle’s rise back into the Champions League and drought-ending EFL Cup triumph over the past 12 months.
Jeff Hendrick hails Premier League-best Newcastle United midfield
There are some incredible midfield trios in the Premier League right now, including Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard and Martin Zubimendi at Arsenal, and Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister at Liverpool.
But such is the unique blend offered by Newcastle’s trident, Hendrick - who played for the Magpies 27 times, including once under Eddie Howe - believes they could be the best in England right now. “Newcastle might have the best midfield in the Premier League. They're robust, strong, and have a bit of nastiness to them,” the former Republic of Ireland international told Boyle Sports.
“They're all comfortable on the ball and can pop up with goals. But I just love how compact they are and how hard they work. As I said, they celebrate tackles and put in 40–50 yard bursts and runs to help their defence. “I definitely agree that I don't see another midfield three matching or surpassing them. There may be a similar midfield three, but it's vital for Newcastle to keep them fit because they are so important to the club.”
Jeff Hendrick: Joelinton was my best Newcastle United teammate
Hendrick is closely familiar with Joelinton, having played and trained with the Brazilian during their time together at St. James’ Park. Initially signed as a striker from Hoffenheim in the summer of 2019, Joelinton has since converted to a dominant midfield force, as equally adept at bullying the opposition as he is at unlocking them with a precision pass.
Even among close friends who were Newcastle fans, there were early doubts about Joelinton, but not from Hendrick himself. “I actually have a pal who's a Newcastle fan. He was delighted when I signed for them, but when Joelinton joined, he was saying he's not good, this and that,” said Hendrick.
“I know the price tag was there and then getting the number nine jersey, but I'm nearly sure he wasn't an out-and-out striker before he went to Newcastle. “We were under a lot of pressure at the time. The club wasn't in a good place. It was a little bit toxic. But after a week, my pal was like, saying he's crap and this and that.
“I was like, he's the best player here. He's literally got everything. He's like, no chance, no way. I said, honestly, he's big, strong, quick, runs all day, brilliant on the ball. I said, he's just not going to score you 20 goals a season. “I'm sure it was just before Eddie Howe came in, or possibly when Howe came in, they started bringing him back. They played him in the 10, then sort of two eights, but he had the license to roam into the 10 position.
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“I remember we played Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds and it was man for man. And then one of the tactics was, get the ball to Joelinton, because they won't take the ball off him.
“He was that good. So to see him transition is crazy, but I don't think he was an out and out striker. But it doesn't surprise me at all because I think he's brilliant and he looks so comfortable in there. With the other two lads, they all suit each other. They all have different roles as midfielders and he doesn't look out of place at all.”