Magpies threaten to cause last-day shock – before being engulfed by the Red tide
CHAMPIONS CRUISE HOME AFTER GAYLE GIVES UNITED LEAD INSIDE FIRST MINUTE
“He wanted to say ‘well done’ to the staff and players for tall their hard work. He wanted to thank the staff and players for all their efforts.”
Bruce then added: “I have another call in with Mike on Wednesday.”
Ashley is believed to be as keen as anybody for an answer on the takeover.
Bruce said: “What he reiterated was it’s in the hands of the Premier League and it’s been like that for weeks. We need a decision and one quickly.
“How long do we need to make that decision?
“All I want is what’s best for this great club.
“If new owners come in and take the club forward that’s what we all want as
Newcastle fans.”
NEWCASTLE United enjoyed the luxury of being in the lead against the Premier League and European champions for 38 minutes at a sunny St James’ Park before reality bit hard for Steve Bruce’s side.
By the end, there was a chasm between the serial trophy winners and a United side that have been steady but unspectacular for much of this campaign.
True, Bruce’s side should not be judged on games like this, but a lateseason slide has proved that another relegation battle is on the cards next season unless there are big improvements in the summer transfer window.
Bruce stated his team were effectively safe after his side beat Southampton in their 29th match of the season, and he has been proved right as none of the bottom three managed to hit the 35-point mark achieved courtesy of Allan SaintMaximin that day.
But Newcastle lack quality in key areas, and even when they grab the lead in games like this they struggle to build on it.
And once they concede, the belief starts to ebb away from a side that has too few leaders.
Given Bruce walked into a club in crisis last July, some may argue that 44 points from 38 games is not a bad effort.
For all people felt that Bruce was no match for Rafa Benitez, he has responded by achieving the same 13th-place position in the top flight.
We were allowed to dream of a shock result for more than half-anhour at St James’ though.
Newcastle were given little chance by pundits and their own supporters before the game against the 2019-20 Premier League champions, but stunned everybody by taking the
P W D Liverpool .......................... 38 32 3 Man City ........................... 38 26 3 Man Utd ........................... 38 18 12 Chelsea ............................. 38 20 6 Leicester ........................... 38 18 8 Tottenham Hotspur .... 38 16 11 Wolverhampton ........... 38 15 14 Arsenal .............................. 38 14 14 Sheff Utd .......................... 38 14 12 Burnley ............................. 38 15 9 Southampton ................ 38 15 7 Everton ............................. 38 13 10 Newcastle ................. 38 11 11 Crystal Palace ................. 38 11 10 Brighton ........................... 38 9 14 West Ham ........................ 38 10 9 Aston Villa ........................ 38 9 8 R Bournemouth ........... 38 9 7 R Watford ......................... 38 8 10 R Norwich ....................... 38 5 6
L 3 9 8 12 12 11 9 10 12 14 16 15 16 17 15 19 21 22 20 27
F 85 102 66 69 67 61 51 56 39 43 51 44 38 31 39 49 41 40 36 26
A Pts 33 99 35 81 36 66 54 66 41 62 47 59 40 59 48 56 39 54 50 54 60 52 56 49 58 44 50 43 54 41 62 39 67 35 65 34 64 34 75 21
lead at St James’ Park. Allan SaintMaximin was fouled on the halfway line by Virgil van Dijk before Jonjo Shelvey lobbed a quick free-kick into the path of Dwight Gayle.
Gayle skipped through to beat his marker before guiding a low finish into the bottom corner past Brazil international Allison with just 24 seconds played.
The Magpies had a nervous two minute wait to see if the goal stood after a VAR check, but ref Anthony Taylor signalled Gayle had indeed beaten the offside trap.
United were then forced to absorb huge pressure from the visitors, but on 19 minutes Valentino Lazaro’s quick ball forward almost played in Shelvey, but the midfielder could not latch on to the pass.
Liverpool had to wait until the 29th-minute mark for their first real chance.
Japan international Takumi Minamino got his shot away and it looked like it was heading for the net, but Martin Dubravka clawed the ball to safety. Then after Danny Rose had won a corner on 33 minutes, Newcastle had another glimpse of goal when Shelvey played in Matt Ritchie, who found Federico Fernandez but his shot was parried by Allison.
Despite the sensational campaign Liverpool have had, there was still disappointment in the air at the manner of the equaliser.
Rose conceded a free-kick with the ball worked in from the righthand side from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who crossed for Van Dijk, with the Dutch star looping a header into the net after getting above Fernandez.
The two sides went in level at the break but Newcastle had been on the back foot for the majority of the
Even when United grab the lead in games like this they struggle to build on it ... once they concede, the belief ebbs away