United’s late late show
Wilson and Joelinton strike at Palace:
CALLUM Wilson and Joelinton are the toast of Tyneside today after delivering the knockout blows that floored Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
The Magpies went into last night’s game under pressure but showed unity and togetherness to record an impressive win in the end to climb into the top 10 for the evening.
At times they rode their luck and Palace will feel hard done by but Newcastle took their chances at the end and can be pleased with another away win.
Having gone into the game on the back of two defeats in a row and under fire for playing too defensively, here Newcastle created the better chances and waited until the death to take them.
United started with a 4-4-2 formation and within three minutes had found a way into the box when
Joelinton found Wilson before Gary Cahill swept the ball clear.
The Brazilian then tried his luck six minutes later with a left-footed shot only for the ball to end up in the stand with Palace untroubled by the effort.
Wilson broke free down the right on 18 minutes and tried to pick out Joelinton but Palace cleared by a whisker and when Miguel Almiron played the ball back in the South American headed wide.
Two minutes later Joelinton steered a shot on target as Newcastle continued to press early in the game.
Despite enjoying 62% possession in the opening quarter, United didn’t make the most of their chances and Palace then tested Karl Darlow for the first time.
On 25 minutes, the ex-Nottingham Forest keeper pushed away Eberechi Eze’s powerful effort to keep the scores level.
Jeffery Schlupp then cashed in as Newcastle lost the ball in the middle but his effort was saved by Darlow low down with half-an-hour gone.
Newcastle regained their composure but did not threaten a shot again until four minutes before the break when Northern Ireland defender Jamal Lewis fired straight at the goalie.
The sides went in level at the break with United’s lack of conviction costing them dear.
Palace opened the second period with a header over the bar from Andros Townsend’s corner as United survived a slight scare.
Joelinton won a dangerous free-kick around 20-yards from goal on 56 minutes but Shelvey could only strike it into the wall.
Moments later, Almiron tried to play in Joelinton but he fluffed his lines and the chance passed him by as he failed to get a shot away.
The Magpies survived a worrying moment when Sean Longstaff was adjudged to have fouled Eke to present Patrick Van Aanholt a free-kick but, like Shelvey, he could only hit the wall.
There were sighs of relief from the bench with Longstaff also booked for his trouble.
Palace made changes midway through the second half with Townsend departing the field for exAjax man Jaïro Riedewald and Jordan Ayew going off for Christian Benteke.
The Magpies swapped Matt Ritchie for Almiron soon after. In between the raft of substitutions, Javier Manquillo’s cross was headed wide by Wilson at the far post.
United won a free-kick just outside the box after another good run from Sean Longstaff, with the midfielder upended just as he was about to shoot.
However, after Lewis had teed up Ritchie he could only fire the ball straight at Vicente Guaita.
Darlow was called into another save when he kept out Benteke with 10 minutes left after Van Aanholt’s cross.
The crucial moment the Magpies were praying for arrived when Joelinton slipped in Wilson down the righthand side before the ex-Bournemouth man fired through the keeper’s legs with a minute left of regulation time.
With Palace shellshocked Wilson then returned the favour with Joelinton twisting and turning in the box before his shot rattled off Cahill’s legs to beat the keeper.
It would be harsh if Joelinton wasn’t awarded the goal given his overall performance merited the strike.
Shelvey could have made it three late on when his free-kick was tipped away by Guaita but the points were in the pocket by then.
Newcastle take a 2-0 win in the capital and you’ve got to respect them after seeing their way through a tough night.