Half
time: Magpies 0 Saints 0
52
mins A forward pass from Jack
Stephens at right back passed over the head of Fabian Schar - apparently
deliberately. Danny Ings was better placed than Federico Fernandez and raced
into the Leazes box before shooting across Dubravka. 0-1
68 mins
Going away from goal towards the left hand side of the Southampton area,
Miguel Almiron took a whack in the face from a defender to earn a free
kick.
Jonjo Shelvey played the ball to the back post and although it Shane Long
nodded it away from intended target Andy Carroll, he was able to retrieve it
before whipping in a left-footed cross that Jonjo Shelvey rose to
head home from seven yards out at the back post. 1-1
87 mins
Alain Saint-Maximin cut inside on the
left side of the Saints area and played a short pass into the path of Sean
Longstaff. Without further ado he tried his luck with a dipping right footed
effort that crucially bounced in front of McCarthy. He couldn't hold it and was
helpless to prevent Federico Fernandez from rifling the loose ball into
the roof of the net from close range.
2-1
Full time: Magpies 2
Saints 1
Steve
Bruce said:
"In the first half we looked like we
had played three games in six days. I felt we were flat and it was not really
until we changed things at half-time and went higher up the pitch we caused them
some problems. They stuck at it, they showed a bit of spirit.
"We looked jaded, we looked tired, we looked like a team that didn't have
any energy. When you're a footballer, yes you can play every day but you can't
play with the intensity you have to and I think that was evident in the
first-half.
"The spirit is there for everyone to see. That’s three times in a week
we’ve come from behind so it’s great to see (twice v Manchester City,
once today).
"The introduction of Big Andy had
glimpses today of what he had 10 years ago. He looks well at the moment. Big
Andy Carroll coming on was a huge help. The cross was brilliant. I'm delighted
for him. If he stays well he can be a big asset to us.
"First half, well done to the
supporters because we didn’t give much to shout about but they stayed with the
team.
"I know the crowd numbers are down (officially, there were 10,002
unsold seats at SJP today).
Maybe the club's got to help the supporters at this difficult time. The crowd
stayed with us.
"It's difficult for people to afford to come, maybe there's something the
club can do. The numbers were down but we need this place full again."
On Saint-Maximin:
"We don't know how serious it is: I will kick myself if he is out for a
long time. He is that maverick free spirit we have to manage. He wanted to play,
to be fair to him.
"He had a nasty ankle the other night
and was hobbling around, but when he pulls up the way he did, then we all fear
the worst and that is the downside of playing somebody tired.
"That’s what happens when you play with fatigue.
"Allan has never had that before - in France, it’s half the intensity of
here. Looking at him yesterday, he was the big one, and could he recover? I know
it’s 95th minute but, obviously, he didn’t.
"I nearly left him out today - and, now, I wish I had done because he could
be out for weeks. I’m disappointed with myself."
Ralph Hassenhutl:
"I saw only
my team playing football today.
"Sometimes this is a pity. We made a brave away game, we must be proud. The
opponent was a little bit struggling - they play long balls to Carroll who
everybody knows is 10 feet tall.
"It's frustrating for us. I think we showed today a third good game
in the space of a week.
"After two good wins at home we started
well, and it was maybe our best away performance of the season for 60 or 70
minutes.
"In the end the opponent played long
balls to Andy Carroll. It's difficult to defend, but again after the equaliser
we created chances to score again. We must do that. It's very frustrating that
we didn't take a point today. A good performance but not enough.
"I think this is the next step we have to go in such tight games. We have
to be more clinical in those moments.
"It was our third game in a week where we were investing a lot, it’s
normal that our concentration wasn’t the highest after such moments. But in
that moment, you must know that this can decide the game. When you are 1-0 up,
then you must take something here.
"I
think they didn’t have a lot of chances but scored twice. Both goals we can
defend because the first one is a cross where we had a lot of players in the
centre.
"The second one is a pity because I
think Alex (McCarthy) can clear the ball further. We must follow them to
the goal, it’s a pity. I haven’t seen a lot of chances for Newcastle, but we
had a lot. In the end, it was a good away game but sometimes football is not so
fair.
"This is something (not keeping
clean sheets), a problem, we have had for a long time. I think the general
defending was good because it’s not always that shot ends in a goal, but it
was like this twice.
"It's not so easy to create chances
away from home, but we were aggressive especially when we lost the ball. Counter
pressing was fantastic today.
"It's football, sometimes in the moment
it is very frustrating for us. It was a big chance today for three points, three
wins in a week would be unbelievable.
"Six points this week, I'll take, but I
think when you see this game more points were possible."
NUFC last eight PL seasons after sixteen games:
2019/20: 22 points, 11th (scored
17, conceded 23)
2018/19: 13 points, 15th (scored 13, conceded 22)
2017/18: 15 points, 16th (scored 16, conceded 25)
2015/16: 16 points, 15th (scored 18, conceded 31)
2014/15: 23 points, 7th (scored 18, conceded 22)
2013/14: 27 points, 6th (scored 23, conceded 22)
2012/13: 17 points, 14th (scored 18, conceded 23)
2011/12: 27 points, 6th (scored 21, conceded 19)
2010/11: 19 points, 11th (scored 24, conceded 25)
2008/09: 16 points, 16th (scored 19, conceded 24)
The
Magpies are now unbeaten in their last seven home PL games (three
wins, four draws), since losing 0-1 to Arsenal at SJP on the opening day
of the season. That's their best run of form since racking up seven
PL home games unbeaten between December 2017 and April 2018. The last time
they managed eight was back in 2012.
After netting twice against Manchester City and Sheffield United, another
brace against the Saints means that United have now scored more than
one goal in three successive PL games. The last time they did that was
back in October 2013.
Jonjo Shelvey netted for the third successive game, and our top
scorer now has five goals to his name. That matches his most prolific
season here (five in the 2016/17 Championship season). Shelvey had never
scored in three successive games for any of his clubs before.
Federico Fernandez doubled his strike tally as a Magpie with his
first home goal, following on from his effort away at West Ham in
November.
Andy Carroll completed a century of competitive games for
Newcastle in all competitions; this his 39th appearance from the bench
added to 61 starts. It also meant that he reached 50 Premier League games
as a Magpie.
Saints in Toon - Premier League era:
2019/20 Won 2-1 Shelvey, Fernandez
2018/19 Won 3-1 Perez 3
2017/18 Won 3-0 Kenedy 2, Ritchie
2015/16 Drew 2-2 Cisse, Wijnaldum
2014/15 Lost 1-2 Gouffran
2013/14 Drew 1-1 Gouffran
2012/13 Won 4-2 Sissoko, Cisse, Cabaye(pen), OG
2005/06 Won 1-0 Dyer (FAC)
2004/05 Won 2-1 Shearer (pen), Bramble
2003/04 Won 1-0 Shearer
2002/03 Won 2-1 Sh.Ameobi, Hughes
2001/02 Won 3-1 Robert, Shearer 2 (1 pen)
2000/01 Drew 1-1 Gallacher
1999/00 Won 5-0 Ferguson 2, Solano, Dabizas, OG
1998/99 Won 4-0 Shearer 2 (1 pen), Ketsbaia, OG
1997/98 Won 2-1 Barnes 2
1996/97 Lost 0-1
1995/96 Won 1-0 Lee
1994/95 Won 5-1 Watson 2, Cole 2, Lee
1993/94 Lost 1-2 Cole
|
Waffle |
Second
half goals from Jonjo Shelvey and Federico Fernandez saw United recover from a
one goal deficit at St. James' Park on Sunday to claim three points that took
them up to tenth place until Arsenal's victory at West Ham on Monday saw them
slip back to eleventh.
But it was the introduction of Andy Carroll from the bench that made the vital
difference to Steve Bruce's side. More of an intervention than a mere
substitution, the striker provided a much-needed physical and aerial threat in
addition to a superb cross for Shelvey's leveller.
Fellow substitute Sean Longstaff then stung the hands of visiting goalkeeper
Alex McCarthy with three minutes of normal time remaining and Fernandez was on
hand to blast the loose ball home.
Arriving on Tyneside looking for their third successive win, Ralph
Hassenhutl's Saints had the best scoring chances in a mundane first half - but
were unable to find a way past Martin Dubravka.
The Magpies custodian has excelled against Manchester City and Sheffield
United in the last week and pulled off eye-catching stops to deny Nathan
Redmond twice in the eighteenth minute.
Dubravka was beaten seven minutes after the restart, when the home defence
failed to track the run of Danny Ings and he continued his recent scoring
streak - half time arrival Fabian Schar seemingly ducking under the ball in
the expectation that it would be dealt with.
At that point, the efforts of playing a third game in nine days looked to have
caught up with a lethargic Magpies side, lining unchanged for the third time
except for the return of Joelinton after one game at the expense of the
benched Carroll.
Had Dubravka not been equal to a shot from Cedric Soares on 54 minutes though,
this would have been over and some of the lowest PL crowd here since 2010
would have been off to try and find a Metro not affected by the strike action.
Seemingly content to be reactive until going behind, United were then forced
into a more pro-active approach which consisted of throwing Carroll on for
what was his 100th appearance for the club.
It worked though; instantly rousing the crowd and his colleagues, not to
mention giving the visiting side something to contend with near to their own
box.
And within ten minutes of his arrival, Carroll had provided a tempting centre
into the box that Shelvey met after a perfectly-timed run to head into the net
- yes, that's the centre forward crossing for the midfielder. Mad.
At 1-1 though, the visitors continued to look the more likely scorers and some
slick football saw them create multiple set piece opportunities - United twice
forced to defend corners with ten men. The first came when Schar patched up at
pitchside after taking a free kick in the face, before Paul Dummett
disappeared to the dressing room with blood flowing from his nose.
Both Ings and Ryan Bertrand came agonisingly close to reaching dangerous balls
into the area but thankfully, Fernandez didn't miss when his opportunity arose
at the other end following a corner.
Victory leaves Steve Bruce's side with 22 points from 16 games, their best
top-flight haul since the 2014/15 campaign. As someone who has been to
all 16, That's quite difficult to comprehend....
Just like Thursday, Newcastle somehow found a route to victory despite
being visibly second best in many departments (goalkeeper and bench aside) and
parts of this game being virtually unwatchable from a Toon perspective.
This second success in four days came at some cost though, Clark unable to
continue after half time with a calf problem and Saint-Maximin leaving the
ground on crutches with a hamstring issue that threatens to sideline for some
time.
Biffa