Welcome to the Radar, a Sky Sports column in which Nick Wright uses a mix of data and opinion to shed light on need-to-know stories from up and down the Premier League. This week:
💪 Bruno's Sustainability for Newcastle🔴 Havertz Missed by Arsenal🔎 An underrated Brentford player?
Brilliant Bruno's ruthlessness
Bruno Guimaraes delighted Newcastle supporters when he was spotted with blowing a kiss for Enzo Fernandez after scoring their second goal in last weekend's 2-0 victory.
The Brazilian international showed his usual mix of quality and industry in the game, helped to set up the opener before scored the second and covered more land than any other player on the field. That little needle is also standard.
More of the same can be expected at the Emirates Stadium on Super Sunday. Meetings with Arsenal tend to present the best in Bruno, which Newcastle helped to win three out of three this season and five of the eight since his arrival in the club in 2022.
No player has had a larger hand in the transformation of Newcastle in the last three years. They were 18th in the Premier League when he became a member. Now they are Carabao Cup winners who insist on a second placed finish because they have been the leader by Bruno near Wembley.
He has shown the full width of his offer this season.
Bruno has been led further than any other player in the division, which covers a total of no less than 397 km. He stands in second place only for Elliot Anderson for successful duels and first mistakes won.
He sets the tone for the intensity of Newcastle Out and he is of course also crucial on the ball. The goal against Chelsea was his fifth of the season and there were six assists. Only Bruno Fernandes has made more progressive steps.
When he is not turned by the lines to teammates who are higher up the field, he often loads himself forward. The addition of the comparable impressive Sandro Tonali to the midfield of Newcastle has cleared Bruno to get more in the box.
It all comes down to a level of completeness that few midfielders can match, but Bruno's best possession of all is perhaps his sustainability. He is one of only nine outfield players who started every Premier League match this season. And that after starting the entire bar one last term.
Since Bruno's first start for Newcastle, in a 2-1 win over Southampton in March 2022 in which he scored the winner, only Bruno Fernandes and Virgil van Dijk have played a higher percentage of the available Premier League minute among outfield players.
It is a huge workload, but there seems to be little danger that he no longer has steam, based on his recent versions. His history of getting up against the opportunity against Arsenal also secure also good for Newcastle.
Havertz was missed by Arsenal
Arsenal had won eight of their previous 12 Premier League matches when Kai Havertz sustained his hamstring injury in February. Since then they have won four of 12, so Liverpool can close the title with games. Havertz has proven a big miss.
The 25-year-old has his opponents, but he returns to fitness as top scorer of Arsenal, even after three months. With 15 goals in all competitions, including nine in the Premier League, he was on schedule for the highest scoring season of his career.
It is generally acknowledged that Arsenal must strengthen their front line this summer, but any new striker arrangements must be prepared to fight for their place with Overtz. Although his mistakes tend to stay in the mind, the underlying data point to an improved finish.
He arrived from Chelsea after he drastically chased the goal and only scored 19 times in the Premier League of an expected goal a total of 26.67 in his three seasons there.
At Arsenal, however, he has convinced too much of his expected goals, although not much, he scored 22 times from an expected total of 21.77 since the beginning of last season.
He is not long wasting as he is seen, in other words, and moreover there is everything else that he offers Mikel Arteta's side, from his formidable working speed to his effectiveness as an outlet for long steps. Arsenal needs more firepower, that much is clear. But they also need a fit and oats.
Damsgaard is on Brentford
Brentford faces Fulham on Sunday and has expanded their winning run to four games against Ipswich last weekend. They are well placed to secure the eighth place and a potential conference competition.
Bryan Mbeumo and Kevin combined damage for their winner on Portman Road, but Mikkel Damsgaard is just as important this season for Thomas Frank's attack. He is in third place in the division for assists and seventh for the opportunities created.
The Denmark International is a light figure that needed time to adapt to the hardships of the Premier League after his arrival from Sampdoria in 2022, but he is now certainly aware of the key to Brentford of the ball and on it.
According to Geniusiq tracking data, Damsgaard has registered more pressure this season than any other Premier League player, while only three have put more pressure, which leads to turnover. Damsgaard is also one of the top five for counter -pressing.
This season Frank discussed the quality of the urgent of his party and describes their efforts as “world class” after a 3-1 victory over Southampton in August. “We have again shown that we are one of the best in the Premier League to do that,” he said.
It is one of the different areas in which the underrated dams continue to play an important role.
Live Radar: What's on Sky this weekend?
Don't miss a Friday night football double header. Aston Villa Face Spurs on Sky Sports Premier League, starts at 7.30 pm, with Chelsea against Man Utd at 8.15 pm on the way to Sky Sports Main Event. The coverage starts at 7 p.m.
Super Sunday sees West Hamtingham Forest organizing in the early competition, starting at 2.15 pm, before Arsenal goes to Newcastle at 4.30 pm, with both matches live at Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event.
Read last week's radar column
The coaching of Mikel Arteta has transformed Arsenal, but last week's column has looked why the transfer window of this summer could be the key to him that would end the waiting for silverware next season. There was also a look at Leicester's Bilal El Khannouss while he impresses in adversity.