An emphatic message sent out to doubters
NEWCASTLE United are just one win away from qualifying for the Champions League following a 4-1 win against high-flying Brighton at St James’ Park.
Newcastle went into half-time in command after an own goal from Deniz Undav midway through the first half and a header from Dan Burn just before the break.
Although Undav pulled one back in the 51st minute, Newcastle survived a sticky spell and late goals from Callum Wilson and Bruno Guimaraes sealed a memorable victory.
Here are five things we learned from the game.
Newcastle send out statement to doubters
Brighton stole the headlines at the weekend by as good as ending Arsenal’s title challenge in their own backyard following a 3-0 win at the Emirates.
Yet as much as this was a team to respect, it was not one to fear. It was Newcastle who were in third place not Brighton - after winning eight of their previous 11 games while the Seagulls had suffered defeats against relegation-threatened Everton and Nottingham Forest by an aggregate score line of 8-2 in recent weeks.
Roberto De Zerbi was the first to recognise this, himself, as the Brighton boss paid tribute to a ‘very strong team’ in Newcastle, who ‘deserve to
play in the Champions League’. No wonder, then, Brighton took their time with restarts in the opening stages as goalkeeper Jason Steele tried to catch his breath as Newcastle pinned Brighton back and forced the visitors into uncharacteristic mistakes in possession.
Relentless Newcastle were full value for their 2-0 lead at half-time and although the Magpies, inexplicably, let Brighton back into it, after Deniz Undav pulled one back.
However, when doubts could have crept in, the hosts delivered an emphatic response as Callum Wilson and Bruno Guimaraes scored a quickfire double.
In a week where pundits Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville, who have their own allegiances of course, both predicted that Newcastle would slip out of the top four, this felt like the perfect riposte.
Newcastle now only need one more win to return to Europe’s top table for the first time in 20 years.
St James’ comes alive when players needed it most
Liverpool may have been just a point behind Newcastle, ahead of this game, but this was not the time to panic.
Newcastle simply just had to focus on themselves, knowing they only needed six points from their final three games of the season, which included back-to-back home fixtures against Brighton and Leicester City.
As captain Jamaal Lascelles put it in his programme notes: “The only thing you can affect is your own business. That’s what we have been focusing on and if we carry that through to tonight and put in the kind of display that we have so often this season, we know we will be fine.”
This was a situation to relish rather than feel burdened by on Thursday night - and the crowd played their part once more.
Part-owner Mehrdad Ghodoussi called on the fans to ‘roar like lions’ and the supporters certainly did that before a ball was even kicked, fuelled by the buy one get one free deal on drinks at concourse kiosks.
Newcastle, in turn, fed off that noise, racing out of the blocks and dominating the first half but what was particularly striking was what happened after the Magpies conceded in the second half.
Newcastle fans roared in defiance and while it got understandably nervy inside the stadium, they continued to chant, whether it was ‘Eddie Howe’s black-and-white army!’, ‘We love Newcastle, we do!’ or ‘Sing your hearts out for the lads!’
That support was rewarded with two quickfire goals late on. By that stage, the fans were singing: “Tell me ma, me ma. I won’t be home for tea. We’re going to Italy.” They are three points away from doing just that.
Relentless Newcastle blow Brighton away in first half
Newcastle did not have the opener their play deserved in the opening stages.
However, Howe’s side did not get frustrated and the relentless hosts were soon given a helping hand by a dazed Brighton in the 22nd minute. Kieran Trippier’s teasing corner was crying out for someone to get their head on it and Deniz Undav duly obliged as the Brighton forward’s near-post flick sailed into the net to send St James’ into raptures.
You could feel the relief inside the stadium as every outfield Newcastle player gathered in a celebratory huddle.
Substitutes Anthony Gordon, Matt
Targett and Elliot Anderson even joined in. In the middle of it all, Trippier, wearing the captain’s armband, was pointing to his temples, reminding his teammates to stay switched on. They did that, all right, for the remainder of the first half.
What’s that saying about goals from set-plays? You wait ages for one then two come at once..
Trippier stepped up once again in stoppage time and, this time, the defender’s free-kick picked out the sizable head of Dan Burn, who doubled his side’s advantage. There was no chance that Burn was not going to celebrate against his former club as the Geordie performed a knee slide in front of the Leazes End.
Defence ultimately holds firm despite soft goal
Newcastle have consistently had the meanest defence in the Premier League for several months now, but the Magpies have developed an unwelcome habit of conceding sloppy goals, even when in commanding positions.
In fact, Newcastle have only kept a single clean sheet in their last
16 league games.
Newcastle simply could not afford to be soft at the back against a ruthlessly clinical Brighton side, who scored all three goals in the second half of their win against Arsenal, and the
Magpies were solid at the back in the opening 45 minutes.
It said it all that Brighton did not even have a single corner kick and, on the one occasion the visitors got in behind in the first half, Sven Botman made a superb last-ditch tackle to prevent Kaoru Mitoma from pulling the trigger.
Yet Newcastle let Brighton right back into the game in the second half.
There were 51 minutes on the clock when Miguel Almiron fired straight at Jason Steele and Brighton punished Newcastle for their profligacy with their very next attack.
Deniz Undav found the back of the net at the Leazes End once more but, this time, for the right team as the German fired past Nick Pope after being played onside by Burn. Although it was a poor goal to concede, Newcastle’s
defence ultimately held firm.
Joe Willock blow leaves Newcastle light
The only sour note for Newcastle was Joe Willock’s muscle injury on the hour mark. Although Willock did not require a stretcher, the midfielder had to be helped off the pitch by club doctor Paul Catterson before going straight down the tunnel after being replaced by Elliot Anderson. Newcastle now look especially light in the middle of the park.
Sean Longstaff has been making good progress, following his foot injury, and Newcastle may need the Geordie before the campaign is out.