TOON RECEIVE A BOOST IN RELEGATION BATTLE
Newcastle United were handed a double boost in their bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League last night when Fulham and Cardiff City - two of their rivals in the race to beat the drop were respectively beaten by West Ham United and Watford.
The Magpies are 16th in the table, a point above 18thplaced Southampton, and welcome basement club Huddersfield Town to St James’s Park today.
That situation could have worsened had the Cottagers or the Bluebirds, or both, got anything from their games against the Hammers and the Hornets.
Fulham were and remain second bottom, eight points adrift of Rafa Benitez’s side before this afternoon’s kickoff, after losing 3-1 at the London Stadium.
Cardiff are level on points with United but stay one spot below them with a vastly inferior goal difference made worse by a 5-1 home defeat to Javi Gracia’s men.
Gerard Deulofeu scored Watford’s first top-flight hat-trick since 1986 as they boosted their hopes of a Europa League spot by cruising to victory at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Deulofeu put the Hornets in front on 18 minutes before two goals in the space of as many second-half minutes ended any hope of a fightback from the hosts, who played a role in their own downfall with some woeful defending.
Deulofeu then set up Troy Deeney for a simple tap-in.
The Bluebirds arguably could have done better for the visitors’ opening three goals, though they were aggrieved at 1-0 that they were not awarded what looked a clear penalty when Daryl Janmaat brought down Josh Murphy.
They did manage a consolation when Sol Bamba bundled home, but the four-goal margin was restored when Deeney scored his second from Will Hughes’ cross in injury time.
Victory sends Watford up to seventh while Cardiff remain 17th, though they could return to the relegation zone over the weekend as Southampton travel to Arsenal on Sunday.
Whatever the results there and on Tyneside, Newcastle could only now drop to 17th.
Fulham, meanwhile, were given a helping hand towards relegation by Javier Hernandez as West Ham came from behind to secure victory.
Hernandez cancelled out Ryan Babel’s early strike by jabbing the ball in with his hand at the far post, referee Lee Mason and his assistants missing the infraction.
Issa Diop and Michail Antonio added the Hammers’ other goals, leaving the Cottagers eight points adrift of safety with just 11 matches to go and with that situation at risk of worsening over the course of the weekend and beyond.
For Newcastle, the ball is in their own court.
After Huddersfield today, they entertain Burnley on Tuesday with the Clarets just a place and two points ahead before this afternoon’s kick-off.
They also have the Saints yet to visit St James’s Park, in April, and face what could be a crunch trip to Fulham on the last day of the season.