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Ciaran Kelly

Eddie Howe may have unlocked secret to free transfer that could save Newcastle owners millions

Ryan Fraser was speaking about Newcastle United, as a whole, when he said Eddie Howe had 'changed everything' on Saturday, but the Scotland international could so easily have been referring to himself.

It is not exaggeration to say that Fraser had previously looked lost at Newcastle. Niggling injuries played a part but, in an effort to get into the team, the winger even asked the coaching staff to help him learn to play as a number eight last summer.

However, Fraser has since featured in all but one of Howe's 15 games in charge - starting the last 10 - and the winger's performance against Brentford on Saturday was his best display yet.

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With Allan Saint-Maximin injured, Fraser started in his preferred role, out on the left, for the first time this season at the Brentford Community Stadium.

Newcastle had been surprised that Brentford had ditched their usual back five for this game but that still meant that Kristoffer Ajer, a centre-back by trade, was there to be got at right-back as the Bees' defence was quite narrow.

Although Fraser only had a day's training with Matt Targett last week, after picking up a knock in the draw against West Ham, the pair caused Brentford real problems in two v one situations.

Fraser even had a hand in Brentford going down to 10 men early doors after the Bees were unable to deal with the Scotland international's cross from the left and Josh Dasilva was then sent off for an awful tackle on Targett.

As well as going on to set up Joelinton's opener after the half-hour mark, Fraser's hooked clearance cut Brentford open in the build-up to Joe Willock's second before half-time.

Fraser now has a goal and an assist in his last four games. While these are not outstanding numbers by any means, they are a base to work with after the 28-year-old had previously been directly involved in just four goals for Newcastle.

Fraser is not only playing with more confidence, but the winger is, also, making a bigger impact in the final third.

No Newcastle player put in more crosses (10) against Brentford or had more shot-creating actions (11), which are the two offensive actions directly leading to an effort on goal, such as passes, dribbles or drawing fouls.

Defensively, too, Fraser made nine pressures, two tackles and two blocks in the capital and the Scot genuinely looked exhausted when he was taken off late on.

There can be no doubt that Fraser is playing his best football since joining Newcastle and, perhaps, that should not come as a huge surprise given the roots of his bond with Howe.

Howe and Fraser go back nine years and it was the former Bournemouth boss who took the shy, podgy new arrival under his wing when he left home in Aberdeen to move 600 miles away to the South Coast in 2013 as former Cherries' captain Tommy Elphick recalled.

"I remember the manager used to take him out for dinner and go round to his house just to make sure he was all right," Elphick previously told ChronicleLive.

"If he ever needed plumbing, food, whatever it may be, the club was always pointing him in the right direction and giving him that education.

"Eddie took a shine to him, but I think we all took a shine to him because he was such a naive young man coming down. He was very funny as well."

Howe showed Fraser around Bournemouth when he first moved to the area and helped arrange cooking lessons for the new signing at a time when his favourite meal was a meat feast pizza from Domino's followed by a bowl of Baskin-Robbins' ice cream.

It was one thing looking after the 'wee man' off the field but, on it, Howe later told Fraser to fake an injury just half an hour after coming on in one of his first games for the club in order to protect the winger so he could take him off more gracefully following an ineffective cameo.

Fraser wondered if he had made a mistake in joining Bournemouth after that embarrassing moment, but the Scot worked closely with Howe and Jason Tindall after training to improve his game and become one of the most effective forwards in the Premier League in 2019.

Although Fraser's time at Bournemouth ended in controversial circumstances, when he refused to sign a short-term contract extension to play for the club during Project Restart, the episode did not have a bearing on the pair's relationship.

Just as Howe was looking forward to working with Fraser again at Newcastle, the 28-year-old was desperate to impress the new head coach.

Fraser has certainly done that.

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