Skipper steps up to rescue a point – and Bruce’s job
JAMAAL Lascelles was Newcastle United’s last-gasp hero in stoppage time as the Magpies clawed a point from the jaws of defeat at St James’ Park.
The skipper may well have saved his head coach from the sack, as defeat to a weary-looking Villa side could have proved to be the final straw for Steve Bruce’s paymasters.
Indeed, Bruce will argue his side are fighting for him – and this battling draw suggests exactly that – but a loss here would have left Newcastle with a huge decision to make.
United are not exactly out of the woods yet either as they wait for the outcome of Fulham’s home game with Manchester City tonight then Southampton’s clash with fellow strugglers Brighton tomorrow.
However, Newcastle should have been better than this on the night.
They wasted almost an hour playing with Dwight Gayle as a winger and wide man Ryan Fraser in a central striker’s role.
Then they waited until the dying stages to create a clear-cut chance as they dilly-dallied in the final third.
Make no mistake, they did their best to lose this game and it could have been agony had Ciaran Clark’s own goal proved to be the winner.
However, his defensive teammate Lascelles got him out of trouble with a 94th-minute equaliser that could prove to be priceless at the end of the season.
Players, staff and watching dignitaries and media held a minute of applause for the late Glenn Roeder before kick-off after the former defender and manager passed away last month.
The Magpies opened up in a bizarre formation with supplier Ryan Fraser spearheading the attack through the centre and poacher Dwight Gayle shunted wide on the left.
It was Villa who created the game’s first chance when John McGinn picked up the ball on the right-hand side but curled the ball over the top at the Gallowgate End.
Moments later, Ryan Fraser hit a low shot which was gathered by Emiliano Martinez in the Aston Villa goal.
Newcastle, though, should have done better on 13 minutes when Joelinton was set free by Jonjo Shelvey and, just like he did at the Hawthorns on Sunday, the Brazilian broke into the box and should have squared the ball to Fraser.
Just like at West Brom, he waited too long to either shoot or pass and was dispossessed, this time by Ezri Konsa.
A hard but fair challenge on Bertrand Traore midway through the first half saw the ex-Ajax man go flying into the advertising hoardings and then taken off with a knock with the 25-year-old replaced by Anwar El Ghazi.
Martin Dubravka was called into action on 28 minutes when he parried away Trezeguet’s stinging effort from the right-hand side.
It was a fine save from Dubravka and it needed to be as the Egypt international was allowed time and space to get maximum power on the strike.
Just before half-time Gayle got on the end of a shot from the left but it did not trouble Villa.
The sides went in level at the break
as Newcastle lacked urgency and conviction in the final third.
United full-back Emil Krafth picked up a booking on 51 minutes after a foul on sub El Ghazi and Newcastle survived the resultant free-kick as Konsa eventually headed wide from the delivery.
Bruce finally changed things around when he switched Gayle into his natural position as central striker and Fraser moved out wide after 55 minutes.
Yet the Magpies needed defensive quality a minute later when Ciaran Clark’s to deny El Ghazi dented Villa hopes.
Despite the offensive tweak, Newcastle stumbled past the hour mark with the scores locked at 0-0.
In a game which was difficult to watch for long periods, the most
Villa goalkeeper Martinez was tested when his own defender Matt Targett scrambled a header back to him.
With 20 minutes left, a Fraser corner was curled to the back post but Jamaal Lascelles headed wide.
Another opening arrived on 72 minutes when Joelinton opted to cross into the box rather than shoot but Villa cleared easily.
Bruce made a change on 78 minutes when Fraser went off for Jacob Murphy.
Murphy was slipped in by Hayden and after taking a good first touch the former Norwich man’s shot fizzed off the bar in the game’s best chance.
However, with five minutes left Villa were handed the lead by their former defender Clark.
Morgan Sanson’s cross found Ollie Watkins before a deflection off Clark’s knee beat Dubravka.
That looked like curtains for Newcastle – and possibly Bruce – but in the last throes of the match the Magpies dug deep and found something.
After Gayle launched the ball in from a throw-in, Villa cleared but it eventually dropped back to substitute Murphy who curled in for Lascelles, who powered home with the header to snatch an equaliser and what could be a vital point.