Given the lack of defensive depth, eyebrows were raised when Newcastle United allowed Mathieu Debuchy join league rivals Arsenal in the summer. But in Leidschendam born Daryl Janmaat, they have found a more than adequate replacement.
- By Andy Booth
- Follow Andy on Twitter
After a slow start the Magpies have had a reversal in fortunes winning 7 of their last 10 games – including wins against Manchester City, Liverpool, and of course ending Chelsea’s unbeaten start to the season and Janmaat has played a key role in that success.
The World Cup bronze medal winner was on a shortlist of 6 players nominated for the November Premier League player of the month award, but was ultimately pipped to the post by Sergio Aguero.
Janmaat has started every game for Newcastle this season, contributing a goal and 3 assists but it is his defensive discipline that has been most impressive. He is the only defender to feature in the Premier League’s top 10 of distance covered across the course of the season showing his fantastic work rate; whilst Eden Hazard had his most ineffectual game of the season when he came up against Janmaat at St James’ Park, a direct result of the Dutchman’s excellent man marking.
Despite this, Newcastle begin a potentially defining week on the back of a crushing 4-1 defeat at Arsenal. A League Cup quarter-final against Tottenham precedes Janmaat’s first Tyne-Wear derby on Sunday.
However Janmaat’s previous experiences of fierce rivalries have not ended well and he will be hoping not to carry his derby day fortunes to his new club. In his two seasons at Feyenoord he was involved in four Klassieker’s, losing 3 and drawing the other.
Newcastle go into the match with the same head to head record against Sunderland from their past four meetings. Needless to say both Newcastle and Daryl Janmaat will be desperately hoping to stop their respective derby day slumps on Sunday.
Follow
