Toon strike it doubly lucky
FRONT TWO IMPRESS BUT SO DO FERNANDEZ AND DARLOW
NEWCASTLE United moved into the top half of the table following their 2-0 win against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
Here are five things we learned from the game.
Callum Wilson’s priceless quality
Callum Wilson had to be patient but when a big opportunity came his way, in the 88th minute, the Newcastle striker certainly took it after calmly slotting the ball past Vicente Guaita to break the deadlock.
The 28-year-old often has little to feed off yet he just has that knack of popping up inside the penalty area.
It has been far from a coincidence that when Newcastle have won this season Wilson has inevitably scored as he did against West Ham, Burnley and Everton.
Wilson has already scored seven league goals for Newcastle this season - and to put that number into perspective the Magpies’ top league goalscorer last season was Jonjo Shelvey with six.
Joelinton’s persistence is rewarded
You cannot fault Joelinton’s heart, that is for sure. He was making his first start in six weeks and the Newcastle forward was eager to make an impression on his return to the side. So much so, the hard-working Brazilian had all of Newcastle’s first four efforts on goal against Palace.
Pressing high and linking play, the 24-year-old again looked more comfortable in that second striker role just behind Callum Wilson.
Saying that, the £40m signing will still be judged on what he can do in front of goal and, in a game of few big chances, Joelinton had a glorious opening just before half-time after Scott Dann gave the ball away but Vicente Guaita easily claimed the
Brazilian’s weak effort. Then, in the second half, Joelinton appeared to mistime his jump and could not get on the end of substitute Matt Ritchie’s whipped cross.
Yet, to his credit, Joelinton did not let his head drop and, as well as playing in Wilson for Newcastle’s opener, the Brazilian doubled the Magpies’ advantage just 100 seconds later with his first league goal since June.
Federico Fernandez’s big moment
This was an emotional night for Fernandez. The Newcastle defender had Diego Maradona’s name and signature No 10 shirt number printed on his warm-up jacket ahead of the game in tribute to his compatriot, who died on Wednesday.
Maradona, like Fernandez, represented Napoli and Argentina and once sent the defender a good luck message ahead of the 2014 World Cup. The 31-year-old never forgot that.
On a night where Wilson and Joelinton grabbed the headlines, Fernandez also put in a huge performance - making a huge block to deny Cheikhou Kouyaté from close range just minutes before Wilson’s opener. That was a key moment.
Glimpses of a different approach
It was not immediately apparent what formation Newcastle were going to line-up in when the team news dropped at 7.00 - how many times have we said that this season? - but it was clear the Magpies were going to start with a back four for the first time since October 17.
With Jamaal Lascelles, Isaac Hayden and Allan Saint-Maximin among those first-teamers absent, Bruce made four changes to his side and switched to a 4-4-2.
It was a positive move and Newcastle made an assured start as the visitors pressed Palace high in the final third.
Bruce does not feel his side can go toe-to-toe with the Premier League’s best sides but against teams like Palace you feel Newcastle can pick up points - if they are a little bolder. At times, it felt like neither side wanted to take that ultimate risk to find a winner until the Magpies landed those late sucker punches.
Karl Darlow’s crucial
contributions
Wilson has scored 58% of Newcastle’s league goals this season but, at the other end of the pitch, you do wonder where the Magpies would be without Karl Darlow.
Goalkeepers are expected to make saves but Darlow has been the busiest in the top flight and often had to keep his side in games.
While Darlow did not have to face as many efforts on goal as he did against Southampton and Chelsea, the shot-stopper made three crucial saves to deny Eberechi Eze and Jeffrey Schlupp in the first half and Christian Benteke in the second.