Hayden is sorely missed during Wat was a very worrying defeat
break - and Watford took full advantage. The visitors really were the architects of their own downfall - Watford did not have to do much - and sloppy defending at the back repeatedly cost the Magpies as Troy Deeney stepped up, twice, from the spot. It was a worrying capitulation.
How Newcastle have missed Isaac Hayden since the midfielder suffered a hamstring injury in the 2-2 draw against West Ham last week.
Steve Bruce has turned to Fabian Schar to fill the void but the Magpies have lacked Hayden’s tenacity, energy and ability to break up attacks.
It was not exactly a high benchmark but Bruce felt Schar was among Newcastle’s better performers at the Etihad on Wednesday evening so perhaps it was not a huge surprise the Switzerland international kept his place in the side at the base of the midfield.
While Schar does not have much experience playing in that role for Newcastle, the 28-year-old has previously impressed in a similar position for Switzerland.
Bruce decided to persist with his training-ground experiment in the absence of the injured Hayden.
Schar had another testing afternoon in the middle of the park and Newcastle’s midfielders struggled to cope with Watford’s renewed energy in the second half.
Surely, this experiment will not be revisited?
Although Watford were in the ascendancy, Bruce waited until the 72nd minute to make his first substitution of the afternoon as Joelinton replaced Matt Ritchie.
Bruce then made a double change a few minutes later - throwing on Emil Krafth and Nabil Bentaleb for Danny Rose and Dwight Gayle respectively which seemed to unsettle an already shaky defence.
Three of Newcastle’s back four were on a yellow card and Javier Manquillo moved over to left-back, where he was tasked with keeping the tricky Ismaila Sarr quiet.
Manquillo gave referee Craig Pawson little choice when he naively put his arms around Sarr inside the area and Troy Deeney made no mistake from the spot to put his side in front.
There were times at Vicarage Road
where you felt Matty Longstaff’s energy and bite could have at least offered something different but the 20-yearold was not called upon by Bruce. Instead, the Newcastle head coach threw on loanee Nabil Bentaleb late in the second half.
Bruce has insisted Longstaff’s contract situation has not affected
his thinking - instead pointing to the fact the youngster only recently returned to training after an injury lay-off - but the midfielder has not started a league game for his boyhood club since January. Given how Hayden and older brother Sean were both absent for the trips to City and Watford, you do wonder when Longstaff will get another chance as he is way down the pecking order at the moment.
No one would have envisaged a situation quite like this when Longstaff rewarded Bruce’s faith by marking his Premier League debut with a winner against Manchester United in October.
Dwight Gayle will have been among those Newcastle players pleased with Steve Bruce’s appointment a year ago.
The Newcastle head coach, after all, has repeatedly tried to sign the striker at previous clubs. While niggling injuries and a lack of game time affected Gayle’s performances earlier in the season, the 29-year-old has been in fine form since football restarted behind closed doors.
Gayle broke the deadlock at Vicarage Road and the goal, midway through the first half, was a reminder of what he brings to the team as a poacher.
Matt Ritchie’s corner was flicked on by Federico Fernandez and Gayle was the one player who anticipated the flick-on and gambled to fire home from close range.
Dwight Gayle looks like a player who is benefiting from a rare run of Premier League starts in his favoured position
up front
from the right. Federicio Fernandez flicked the ball on and Gayle applied the finish on the line for his third counter of the season.
After Gayle’s flick, Saint-maximin broke down the left on 35 minutes after outpacing the home defence but, with just the goalkeeper to beat, poked the ball at the foot of Foster.
Newcastle survived a series of scrambles in the box towards the end of the half and Lascelles was also booked for a body slam on Abdoulaye Doucoure before the sides went in for the interval.
United started the second period defending their lead but with Watford having the Vicarage Road pitch slope in their favour.
However, Newcastle surrendered their advantage when Kiko Femenia was fouled by Ritchie, referee Craig Pawson pointing to the spot.
Troy Deeney stepped up
United went missing in the second period and their season is in danger of becoming
a damp squib
and