Magpies’ desire to win
CHRIS WAUGH’S THINGS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED AS THE TOON LEAVE IT LATE AGAINST CRYSTAL PALACE YET SECURE WIN THANKS TO SUB MIKEL MERINO
FIGHT, desire, hunger and United
Seemingly in order to lay to bed these ludicrous myths which are peddled by the ill-informed such as Palace chairman Simon Jordan and by those who should know better like Kieron Dyer, the words ‘lazy,’ ‘greedy,’ ‘deluded’ and ‘crisis’ were displayed on huge flags in the Gallowgate and then crossed out in red. They were replaced with ‘desire,’ ‘fight,’ ‘hunger’ and ‘United’ – characteristics both Newcastle fans and this Magpies side share. SHELVEY continues to match his outfits
After sporting a bright-blue cast to match Newcastle’s away kit the weekend previous at Southampton, Shelvey wore a black one this time to protect his broken finger. The midfielder knows how to a match his outfits, that is for certain. TAKING your time does not always pay dividends
Eagles’ goalkeeper Julian Speroni spent about 15 seconds composing himself by bouncing the ball in the ninth minute, waiting for his Palace side to reorganise. Yet, despite taking his time before kicking it, he merely booted the ball directly out of play. It was not his finest moment. HE who laughs last, laughs longest
At one stage, Ayoze Perez was attempting to close down Mamadou Sakho and slipped due to the wet conditions, leading the travelling Palace fans to cheer his misfortune. Within two seconds, Sakho had then misplaced a pass straight out of play – and it was the home crowd’s turn to respond in kind with some cheers of their own. FROM one controversial incident to another The Cabaye red-card-that-wasn’t dominated the headlines but in actual fact play should have stopped before then – and that incident would never have occurred. Just a few seconds before Cabaye’s challenge, Wilfried Zaha threw himself to the ground theatrically after Shelvey stuck out a leg but did not catch the Palace winger. Referee Stuart Attwell gestured it was not a penalty, but surely then it should have been a yellow card for simulation and a free-kick to United? ELLIOT is perfecting the Shay Given art of heading
Over the last few matches, Rob Elliot has provided crucial interceptions by rushing out of his box, throwing himself into the air and heading the ball clear.
This was an art at which exMagpies goalkeeper Given was masterful. It is perhaps apt then Elliot showed such skills in the week when Given’s autobiography goes on sale. UNITED’S struggles summed up in one phase of play
Two minutes into the second half, Shelvey attempted a 30-yard pass square to Javier Manquillo at left-back, yet it went straight out of play. Shelvey gestured that Manquillo should have run on to it, while the left-back was adamant the England midfielder’s pass should have been more accurate. Thankfully, Newcastle’s precision improved as the game wore on.