Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Trippier proved their leadership credentials by holding crunch talks with the rest of the Newcastle United squad following their defeat to Brentford.
The Magpies were beaten 3-2 by Brentford at St James’ Park earlier this month and, as such, the Newcastle United team were booed by their own supporters.
Indeed, Eddie Howe’s side had put in another haphazard performance, and it meant three consecutive defeats following the losses at Manchester City and Liverpool.
It wasn’t the defeat that caused the boos, it was the manner of it.
Still, Howe got a response on Tuesday as Newcastle beat Tottenham 2-1.
Between those games, The Daily Mail claim that Guimaraes and Trippier held crisis talks with the rest of the Newcastle United squad inside the dressing room in the immediate wake of the Brentford defeat.
Joined by Dan Burn and Jacob Murphy, they are thought to have told the rest of the players in no uncertain terms that bringing about an improvement was just as much their jobs as it is Howe’s.
Bruno Guimaraes continues to grow into a leadership role
The Brazilian is Newcastle’s captain and Guimaraes’s famous speech at half-time during the Carabao Cup final will live long in the memory.
He has always been a leader on the pitch but the insight provides yet more evidence that he’s much more than that.
It’s amazing to think that Guimaraes didn’t initially think he was up to the challenge of being Newcastle’s captain.
Amid so much talk about star players wanting to leave Newcastle, his passion seemingly burns as bright as ever.
Trippier, meanwhile, may not be the force of old but he clearly remains an important part of the leadership group too.
Easing the pressure on Eddie Howe
Howe has faced scrutiny at Newcastle this season in what has been his most difficult campaign in charge of the club thus far.
However, that win over Spurs – at least in part built on the talks held after Brentford – does lift the mood somewhat.
It remains to be seen if Newcastle can build on this. The season so far has been littered with false dawns at almost every turn, after all.