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Leicester City (a) Premier League
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Date: Friday 12th April 2019, 8.00pm Live on Sky Sports Venue: King Power Stadium Conditions: Stoic Programme: £3.50 |
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Leicester City |
Newcastle United |
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0 - 1 |
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| Half time: | 0 - 1 | |
| Score Sheet: | ||
Perez
(32) 
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Teams |
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Schmeichel |
Dubravka |
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| Substitutes: | ||
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(72) Mendy for Ndidi (72) Iheanacho for Gray (80) Albrighton for Barnes |
Atsu
for Almiron (78) Diame for Ki (82) |
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| Subs not used: | ||
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Evans Ward Okazaki Fuchs |
Darlow Yedlin Muto Fernandez Shelvey |
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| Bookings: | ||
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Manquillo
Schar Ki
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| Dismissals: | ||
| None | None | |
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Referee:
Chris
Kavanagh - Fourth time lucky for the Lancashire-based official, who previously
took charge of our visits to Southampton (drew 0-0), Chelsea (lost 1-2) and
West Ham (lost 0-2). |
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Attendance:
32,108
including just over 3,000 away followers who made one hell of a racket all night, players
and manager saluting their contribution at full time amid more joyous
acclaim.
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Goals |
32 mins The same (South) end of the ground as last season, but a rather different finish from Ayoze Perez this time round, getting away from alleged marker Wes Morgan at the front post to plant a superb glancing header beyond the helpless Kasper Schmeichel. Matt Ritchie provided the centre from the left flank 1-0
Half time: Foxes 0 Magpies 1
Full time: Foxes 0 Magpies 1
We Said |
Rafa:
"It was a good game against a good team. We did very well. Our players worked so hard. This relationship between the players and fans means a lot to us. The players and fans tried to do their best.
"As a coach, you always have a game plan. You can prepare however you want but it depends on the players to make the difference.
"The problem against James Maddison or Jamie Vardy is you have to concentrate from the first minute to the last. We are really pleased with the clean sheet and three points. You have to enjoy today and be ready for the next one.
"We needed to do almost everything perfect and we were very
close. We had two or three counter-attacks we could have done better but
with this commitment from the players and from the fans it's easier.
"I have been trying to win titles everywhere, in different countries,
and we have to have a team that can compete.
"You cannot go up against a team thinking 'maybe we can win' or that a draw is a good result, no. We need to be stronger. We have the city, we have all the potential.
"The city, the club, everyone in Newcastle is supporting the team
so it's massive.
"I'm not saying £200m but doing a little bit more, doing the right
things, we can compete against the teams that are now maybe between seventh
and 12th. But we have to do things right.
"Even if you have a lot of money, you can make mistakes in the transfer
window but when you have less money, it's more difficult.
"You can do everything right, your tactics, your team selection, your substitutions but if the other team has one player who can make the difference… that is now the Premier League. If you want to sign one of the forward players from Leicester now, you have to pay £30m.
"So we have to be more competitive in the window, we have to do
things in the right way and then you have massive, massive potential in
Newcastle.
"You have to do your job but obviously you need some help. We are
thinking about the future but we cannot go too much further.
"This result could change a lot of things and hopefully will change a
lot of things but still, we have to do the right things at the right time.
"We know what we have to do, we have experience in doing that and I think the fans appreciate that."
They Said |
Former Liverpool bosses compare notes
Brendan:
"It was the first game of this type that I’ve seen us play in, and of course, when you’re playing an opponent that’s very deep with all 11 players in that final third of the pitch, then it’s difficult.
“It was interesting to see what we can do better. I thought in the first half, we were too slow in our passing in order to get in between their lines and unbalance their defence. In the second half, we were better.
"We found it difficult to break them down - I think it’s been a problem this season from what I’m led to believe. You can see why on evenings like that, whenever a team is camped in.
"We just didn’t quite move the ball quick enough
through the thirds and like I say, the passing needs to be a bit cleaner to
break through. The players gave everything.
"We had a couple of opportunities. Jamie (Vardy) had one where
he makes a great run and just clips it over the bar. We got into some good
areas at times, but I think tonight was just one of them ones where we just
didn’t quite make the final pass.
"We’ll analyse the goal because I think we can do better with that. The players gave everything, and it was just one of those evenings for us.”
"It (the NUFC goal) was from a goal-kick.
We need to be better in terms of competing for the second and third ball in
that moment. We won the first header and we won the second ball and like I
say, they get onto the next ball, play it through and then they’re away.
"It was a good header by the player (Ayoze Pérez), who comes
across Wes (Morgan) and gets the header. We can be better in that.
"I thought he (Marc Albrighton) was excellent. I thought he came on and had no hesitation in getting his crosses in. When you play against that deep lying defence then you need players that can cross the ball and I thought when he came on, he was very good, so it was nice to get him back on the field again.”
Stats |
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Magpies @ Foxes - Premier League era: 2018/19 won 1-0 Perez
Michael Owen 26 Craig Bellamy 27 Ayoze Perez 28 Obafemi Martins 28 Demba Ba 29 Gary Speed 29 Robert Lee 34 Papiss Demba Cisse 37 Nolberto Solano 37 (OG 39) Les Ferdinand 41 Shola Ameobi 43 Andy Cole 43 Peter Beardsley 46 Alan Shearer 148 |
Waffle |
Ayoze
Perez scored his eighth goal of the season
So
lightning does strike twice.
Full time at the King Power Stadium, April 2018. Led by the winning
goalscorer Ayoze Perez, United players celebrate the victory that takes them
to the 38 point mark, saluting their rejoicing fans.
Glasses safely stowed in his jacket pocket, they are joined on the field by
Rafa Benitez, who has just seen his side deservedly make a giant leap towards retaining their place in the top flight.
12 months on and everything was much the same, support off the field matched
by effort on it and a shared satisfaction of a job well done, a task
virtually completed. A few sore limbs in both the stands and the dressing
room; refueling a priority for both parties.
And although that points tally would leave Newcastle five places below where
they were a year ago by the end of the weekend, the continued demise of
Cardiff City leaves the Bluebirds in the final relegation spot - with a game
in hand, but trailing the Magpies by a massive ten points.
Lingering doubts as to our status that had surfaced after successive 0-1
defeats (not least in our own minds) were thankfully dispelled by the
outcome and performance here today - perhaps only eclipsed this season by
the improbable home victories over Manchester City and Everton.
Whether the live post-match interview helps or hinders negotiations is
unclear, but the result adds fresh impetus
to talks over the manager's future, Benitez seamlessly repositioning himself
from a position of delaying talks to one of waiting for answers from the
club.
While that situation plays out once again off stage, in public view United were
good value for a third away success of the season, overcoming hosts who never remotely looked like recording what would have been a fifth
successive league win.
Following the setback against Palace DeAndre Yedlin was replaced by Javier
Manquillo and Paul Dummett regained his starting place in a back three
following the loss of Florian Lejeune.
A high tempo opening saw United almost draw first blood, Salomon Rondon's thunderous free kick on the quarter hour
leaving the City
crossbar quivering. Perez then headed the opener before Miguel Almiron tricked his way forward and
brought a stop out of Schmeichel as City sought vainly to reply but
cheaply surrendered the ball time and time again.
Allied to some solid defending was a willingness to press the City backline
that was noticeably absent at the Emirates - and it got results, Leicester
well ahead in possession terms but lagging behind in shots on goal as United
retained their discipline, but remained positive and threatening.
Tonight was one of those games when the front trio complemented each other;
the strength and industry of Rondon allied to the nimble-footedness of Perez
and the perpetual motion of Almiron.
Perez was visibly uplifted by the improvement in those around him,
approaching the levels he's enjoyed here previously when he's been
unplayable in a good way. The Spanish David Kelly?
Almiron meanwhile could do with a goal but contributed enormously here and
successfully distracted the hosts at crucial times. He has to be
watched.
Rondon is such a one-off that there's nothing in the club never mind the
bench that we could field to give a cameo of his work. If the financial
model of the club dictates that a deal is unworkable, then the outlay
required to bring in a like-for-like younger model with the required resale
potential doesn't bear thinking about. The club scouts gets plaudits for the
likes of Schar and Lejeune, but for them to unearth a replacement for the
Venezuelan would be a real feather in their cap.
A narrow miss by Almiron on the hour after a fabulous solo run by Fabian
Schar heralded City's best period of the game as the Magpies dropped deeper
and forward forays became less frequent.
At that juncture, a point that many would have taken before kickoff looked
the most likely outcome, with the effort put in across the field starting to
take its toll, Almiron perhaps left on too long.
Chances for a clinching second continued to arrive though; a mazy Perez run
in the box ending with the 'keeper denying him from close range and substitute Christian
Atsu bursting forward but then trying in vain to find Rondon rather than
shooting himself.
Thankfully though there was to be no repeat of the late agony suffered at Old
Trafford and Molineux this season, Jamie Vardy's 79th minute effort
ballooning over the crossbar to encapsulate an evening when the hosts badly
misfired.
The victory was also a personal triumph for Benitez, strongly linked
with the vacant Foxes' post in February before Brendan Rodgers was
installed. As to whether the two former Anfield bosses will meet again next
season when these clubs clash though....
Part of the over-reaction to and over-glorification of results like this for
Rafa's side is that it provides a tantalising glimpse of the world Newcastle
followers aspire to; of being genuinely competitive and finally fulfilling
the potential that our fanbase indicates is still there despite
everything.
Floating out of here for the second season running, it's impossible not to
wonder what our destiny would be if everyone in our corner aspired to more
than survival. That's as true now as it was in 2018, only we're all a year
older and more cynical, if that were possible.
Until that directional change, occasional glory nights like these be will the limit of
our endeavours.
Biffa