A battling point – but it could have been three
United draw at Southampton:
GABBIADINI is a famed Italian footballing name which came back to haunt Newcastle United.
Manolo Gabbiadini’s two goals denied the Magpies a deserved victory in an incident-packed game at St Mary’s to revive memories of Marco’s dagger thrust into Geordie hearts all of 27 years ago.
Then in May 1990 Marco Gabbiadini’s strike saw hot favourites United destroyed in the Second Division play-offs at St James’ Park which led eventually to Sunderland being promoted instead of them.
Manolo, in nothing like the goalscoring form of namesake Marco, twice pulled the Saints level when a workaholic Newcastle looked certain to add to their win on the road at Swansea.
It was a savage blow to United in the end especially as Florian Lejeune, having stupidly given away the penalty which made it 2-2, saw a towering header booted off the line by substitute Stephen Davies with only two minutes to go.
Rafa Benitez left the pitch frustrated, having seen his team carry out his instructions to the letter for most of the contest.
Organised at the back, they somehow still gifted Gabbiadini his two goals - Javier Manquillo let him turn and run in the penalty area on the first and Lejeune was reckless flooring Shane Long when the Southampton striker was running away from goal.
United were leading comfortably 1-0 at half-time before fireworks lit up the darkening skies for the next 45 minutes.
Isaac Hayden, surprisingly selected to start ahead of Mikel Merino, had justified his selection with a beautifully-struck shot from 20 yards to beat a confused Fraser Forster.
However, within a minute of the restart Ayoze Perez provided a right-wing cross Joselu flicked on to the bar.
Gabbiadini equalised on 49 minutes and less than a minute and a half later Perez notched after poor goalkeeping by Forster, who beat out Perez’s first shot and was then beaten on an impossible angle.
All done? Not likely. Enter Lejeune, playing for the first time since an opening-day injury.
He had done well until a rush of blood saw him down Long for a stonewall penalty.
Two minutes from the end of a breathless half, Lejeune almost redeemed himself with a terrific header Davies hacked away.
For two teams desperately short of goals to share a 2-2 draw was probably surprising if a bonus for the nation’s watching neutrals yet for the respective managers such a feast after a famine still did not bring a maximum return.
To be fair, United could have finished with 10 men after DeAndre Yedlin, already on a yellow, ought to have gone in the book again - but the referee was literally a Friend!
While there was a feeling two points had slipped away, at least United did not lose at Southampton which far too often in the past has been the case.
This side is fast becoming difficult to beat.
That, so soon after its return to top-flight football, is a most encouraging sign.