Another point towards going up, and a bigger gap to Terriers
Birmingham 0 Newcastle 0
1. WITHOUT SHELVEY, NEWCASTLE GO DIRECT
THE Magpies haven’t exactly been the prettiest footballing side on their travels this season anyway, but they had to be even more pragmatic given the absence of their midfield maestro.
Jonjo Shelvey was struck down by an illness during the week and had only taken part in a couple of training sessions, meaning Benitez did not want to risk the midfielder.
In his place, we finally saw Mo Diame start a game for Newcastle in the deep-lying midfield role he prefers.
The Senegal international has appeared uncomfortable at times adapting to the No 10 position he has so often been deployed in, but at St Andrew’s he was far more involved than he has been in a long while for Newcastle.
Diame was industrious, winning tackles alongside Jack Colback, then releasing Ayoze Perez, Yoan Gouffran and Ritchie on the counter.
What’s more, without Shelvey sitting deep and dictating play, Newcastle decided to go more direct from the back – with Grant Hanley and Jamaal Lascelles attempting to pick out lonestriker Daryl Murphy with some long balls forward.
Hanley even played a delicious 60-yard through-ball to release Ritchie, who rounded the keeper but was denied by a magnificent last-ditch tackle from Ryan Shotton.
United’s away record has largely been built on the foundations of Shelvey finding Dwight Gayle running in behind this term, but the Magpies certainly shifted their tactics at St Andrew’s.
2. A PATCHED-UP DEFENCE, BUT NEWCASTLE REMAIN AS SOLID AS EVER
Ciaran Clark has been excellent for the Magpies since joining from Aston Villa last summer, and the centraldefensive partnership he has forged alongside captain Lascelles has been the very foundation away form.
In fact, United have conceded just 12 goals away from home all season – they have not been breached in open play on the road for seven hours now.
That is despite Benitez having to reshuffle his back four at St Andrew’s, with Paul Dummett retaining his position at left-back and Hanley shifting into central-defence alongside Lascelles.
Anita continued at right-back and, though he had another difficult afternoon in that position, his defensive team-mates were able to help Newcastle keep another clean sheet.
Praise must also be given to Diame and Jack Colback in holding-midfield, who worked tirelessly all afternoon and largely managed to nullify Birmingham’s attacking threat.
Perhaps a deep-lying role is Diame’s best position.
That is a debate for another time, but the fact remains that, no matter who United play in defence, Benitez’s 4-23-1 formation continue to serve them well on their travels. of Newcastle’s
The Magpies may have created few clear-cut chances in the first half, but they did wrongly have a goal disallowed before the break.
Perez’s goalbound shot was blocked before Ritchie bundled it over the line – but linesman Akil Howson wrongly raised his flag to disallow it.
After the break, Newcastle really stepped it up, though, and were excellent at times going forward – but Kuszczak simply refused to be beaten.
The former Manchester United goalkeeper tipped Ritchie’s low shot across goal past the post, he palmed away a couple of Gayle efforts, but his best save was from Murphy.
Irishman Murphy has risen highest from a corner to power a header towards the bottom corner, but somehow Kuszczak managed to throw himself across his goal to claw it away.
Without an ill Shelvey sitting deep and dictating play, until he was brought from the bench late on, Newcastle decided to go more direct from the back