Magpies make dog’s dinner of Terriers clash as lack of real quality shows
POINTLESS TOON SUFFER SECOND SETBACK
ONE week on since Mike Ashley told Newcastle United fans he simply can’t compete with the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea in the money stakes, the Magpies were beaten by the side that many expect to be staving off the threat of relegation this season.
Indeed, the Terriers are supposed to be one of the sides Newcastle need to be taking care of if they are to avoid an instant return to the Championship.
It’s too early to panic but this defeat certainly flags up some serious causes for concern for Newcastle fans and Rafa Benitez.
Ashley wasn’t at the John Smith’s Stadium but both managing director Lee Charnley and the tycoon’s PR man Keith Bishop watched on as Huddersfield made Premier League history with their first home win.
True, United will need some time to re-adjust to life back in the Premier League but if they are struggling to beat Huddersfield, what chance do you give them against the big guns – or even the seasoned top-flight sides like Stoke City, West Brom and Southampton?
Newcastle offered some resistance throughout long periods of the game but Huddersfield wanted it more.
The game started in frantic fashion with Newcastle pressing the home side in the opening exchanges and Ayoze Perez seeing an effort blocked.
Huddersfield responded with a tame shot from Aaron Mooy but Rob Elliot gathered the ball easily. It appeared referee Craig Pawson was taking it easy on the Premier League new boys – not least when Elias Kachunga’s head-high tackle on Chancel Mbemba left him requiring treatment for a facial injury on three minutes.
There was more controversy with five minutes on the clock as Isaac Hayden was wiped out by Steve Mounie – but South Yorkshire ref Pawson failed to issue a card of any colour.
Had Pawson been harsher on the hosts, this game could have ended differently.
On 15 minutes, Huddersfield had another chance when Christian Atsu failed to clear the ball properly and it fell for Tom Ince but Elliot saved again.
Newcastle responded when Perez slipped in Matt Ritchie but his effort was deflected wide.
Newcastle had a penalty shout turned down on 27 minutes when Ritchie’s cross found Atsu and the ball hit the arms of Chris Lowe.
But the protests were waved away by Pawson and Huddersfield fans mocked the frantic calls for a penalty by Newcastle’s 2,400-strong following.
Gayle also tried to win a penalty eight minutes later but Pawson was having none of it.
Huddersfield finished the half the stronger of the two sides but could not force a breakthrough.
History was made on 50 minutes when Mooy played a one-two with Kachunga before curling an unstoppable effort beyond Elliot to score Huddersfield’s first ever Premier League goal at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Benitez responded moments later by hooking the ineffective Gayle and introducing £5m new signing Joselu.
Just after the hour mark, Manquillo whipped in a right-wing cross as he
tried to pick out Ritchie but he couldn’t get on the end of it.
Frustration was beginning to kick in for Newcastle and with 25 minutes left, Joselu was booked for clattering into goalkeeper Jonas Lossl.
A spell of pressure resulted in a couple of half chances for Newcastle.
First, on 68 minutes, Joselu’s effort was pushed away by Lossl before the resultant corner was eventually hooked over by Perez.
Newcastle made a second change when Mo Diame replaced Hayden with 15 minutes to go.
He was soon joined by Jacob Murphy as he replaced Perez for the closing stages and the £10m winger quickly found space on the right before he earned a corner with a deflected shot.
But, like most set-pieces on the day for United, it came to nothing and Huddersfield cleared their lines.
Joselu fired in a couple of late efforts at goal but Newcastle never looked like avoiding defeat on a day when some of Benitez’s concerns on recruitment proved to be true.
In short, Newcastle lack quality and don’t have much time left in the transfer window to address that.