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."
 

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 him for some time.

Biffa