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Season 2019-20
Liverpool (h)
Premier League

 

 
Date:
Sunday 26th July 2020, 4.00pm
Live on BT Sport

Venue:
 St. James' Park

Conditions: Acquiescent

Programme: No hard copy was issued by NUFC but the full size 68 page issue was again available as a free download.
 



 

Newcastle

Liverpool

1 - 3

 

Teams

Goals

25 secs Virgil van Dijk bundled over Allan Saint-Maximin on the halfway line and after SJP old boy Gini Wijnaldum helpfully tossed Shelvey the ball, he promptly sent the free kick towards the Leazes End.

Dwight Gayle got between Joe Gomez and Neco Williams, before forcing his shot past goalkeeper Allison. Sadly though BT were showing a rerun of the initial foul and cut back to live pictures of the ball in the net.

Doubts over whether the scorer had timed his run to remain onside were dispelled when VAR eventually ruled in his favour.
1-0

38 mins Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain pushed down the Reds right and Virgil van Dijk rose highest to loop his header home at the Gallowgate End. 1-1

Half time: Magpies 1 Reds 1

59 mins Van Dijk played a forward ball to Andy Robertson, who laid it off for Divock Origi on the left hand side of the United box. The Belgian forward moved the ball infield to his right before unleashing a curling effort that Federico Fernandez ducked under and Martin Dubravka couldn't reach. 1-2

89 mins Sadio Mane replicated Origi's effort from almost the same point, Valentino Lazaro showing him inside and giving him the opportunity to hammer the ball beyond Dubravka. 1-3

Full time: Magpies 1 Reds 3

We Said

 


One of these just got 99 points, the other just wants a 99....

 

Steve Bruce said:

"We've taken the lead against them twice this season and it gives you something to hold onto. For large parts of the first-half we defended very well. We had a hunger and a desire I couldn't fault but in the end we just weren't quite good enough.

"But towards the end, when they bring on the quality they did, you can see why they're causing damage for most teams. I was delighted with the way we showed up and had a go.

"It's been a difficult season in a lot of respects from the lockdown change and the biggest thing for us as well is the amount of times we've gone into games with injuries has been horrendous so it's something we'll have to look at.

"We've dropped like nine pins over the last few weeks. I've never known anything like it.

"We seem to be affected worse than most and again today, we're missing seven or eight and when you get to that sort of level, it's something which has blighted us this season. Let's hope next season can be a little bit kinder in that department.

"He
(Mike Ashley) just wanted to say a thank you to everyone for the hard work and have a good summer. That was it.

"I think it was vitally important, he wanted to say thank you to the staff and the players for all their hard work so in that respect, it was good to hear from him. I've got a call into him on Wednesday.

"It's vitally important we have a decision one way or the other (regarding the proposed takeover). Surely 14, 15 or 16 weeks is long enough? That's the difficulty for ourselves.

"I've been in the game a long, long time thankfully. I've got a bit of experience and there's nothing I can do about it.

"I've just got to progress as if nothing's happening and see where that takes us. It's still there with the Premier League and we'll have to see what happens there.

"It's imperative that we get a bit of
(transfer) business done, yes. And that'll happen. We've got one or two things bubbling away, let's see what we can do.

”I've tried to enjoy it and with a long old season like it is, there's going to be a few ups and downs. What you try to do with experience is try and stay in the middle, but I've been determined to do one thing, to come and enjoy it.

"I'm a Newcastle lad through and through and I want the club to do well. That's been the same since I was a kid so to be the manager has been a pleasure so far. Let's see where it takes us in the summer."

On Dwight Gayle:

"He's been one that's been blighted by injury. He's had a great end to the season so let's hope he can have a decent summer and come back firing. He's reminded everyone that he's a goalscorer."

On Kelland Watts:

"He'll remember that one. He's been training with us for the last six weeks so it was good to see him get his chance."

They Said


Jurgen Klopp said:

"We played an incredible game, not a perfect game.

"We made so many changes after a long time of playing with similar line-ups. It's not fair to judge
(players who came in) because they need to get used to each other's games.

"We really worked in the game and got better and better and better even before the changes. But the changes helped massively.

"I liked the game. It's far away from being perfect but over the season we did not just win games when everything was perfect, we won a lot of difficult games too.

"Two weeks and a couple of days and we start again. I'm not going to the office for a while."

Stats

 

Wearing 49, Kelland Watts made a senior competitive bow for Newcastle, becoming the 240th player to appear for the club in the Premier League. A temporary rule change allowed him to feature, having previously appeared on loan for both Stevenage and Mansfield Town in the 2019/20 campaign.

His appearance meant the number of fielded in our 38 PL games was 28.

Joelinton's arrival from the bench means he's the third outfield player to feature in every game of a PL season for United, making 32 starts plus six as a substitute. That follows Gary Speed in 2003 (37 starts plus one as sub) and Gini Wijnaldum (36 starts plus two as sub).

Speed scored three times that season, Wijnaldum 11 in his. Our number 9 this season ends up with two; matching the goal record of those renowned sharpshooters Ciaran Clark, Federico Fernandez and Florian Lejeune.

Our 38 PL games brought 38 goals, the second-lowest total of the Premier League era, behind the 35 in 1997/98 and equal to the 38 of 2006/07.

Dwight Gayle's 25 second strike was United's fastest goal this season, beating his own fifth minute effort at Bournemouth.

It was the quickest Toon goal in all competitions since Sean Longstaff netted after 56 seconds of an FA Cup tie at Blackburn Rovers in January 2019.

And in PL terms only, it was the fastest by a Magpie since Kenedy's 64 second effort against Southampton in March 2018 - and the second-fastest ever in that competition behind Alan Shearer.

NUFC top 10 quickest PL goals:

Jan 2003 Manchester City (h)
Alan Shearer 10 seconds
Jul 2020 Liverpool (h) Dwight Gayle 25 seconds
Jan 1996 Arsenal (h)
David Ginola 56 seconds
Mar 2004 Charlton Athletic (h) Alan Shearer 57 seconds
Mar 2018 Southampton (h) Kenedy 64 seconds
Apr 2006 Tottenham (h) Lee Bowyer 66 seconds
Feb 2009 West Brom (a) Damien Duff 67 seconds
Feb 2006 Aston Villa (a) Shola Ameobi 74 seconds
Sep 2002 sunderland (h) Craig Bellamy 84 seconds
Feb 2011 Birmingham City (a) Peter Lovenkrands 95 seconds

Congratulations to Jonjo Shelvey, whose six goals made him our top league scorer - but with the joint lowest total ever. He shares that dubious accolade with John Barnes (1997/98) and Carl Cort & Nobby Solano (both 2000/01).

2019/20 top scorers (PL only):

Jonjo Shelvey 6
Miguel Almiron 4
Dwight Gayle 4
Allan Saint-Maximin 3
Ciaran Clark 2
Federico Fernandez 2
Joelinton 2
Florian Lejeune 2
Matty Longstaff 2
Matt Ritchie 2
Fabian Schar 2
Jetro Willems 2
Isaac Hayden 1
Jamaal Lascelles 1
Valentino Lazaro 1
Sean Longstaff 1
DeAndre Yedlin 1

Top scorers per season (PL only):

1993/94 Andy Cole (34)
1994/95 Peter Beardsley (12)
1995/96 Les Ferdinand (25)
1996/97 Alan Shearer (25)
1997/98 John Barnes (6)
1998/99 Alan Shearer (14)
1999/00 Alan Shearer 23)
2000/01 Carl Cort / Nolberto Solano (6)
2001/02 Alan Shearer (23)
2002/03 Alan Shearer (17)
2003/04 Alan Shearer (22)
2004/05 Alan Shearer/Craig Bellamy (7)
2005/06 Alan Shearer (10)
2006/07 Obafemi Martins (11)
2007/08 Michael Owen (11)
2008/09 Obafemi Martins/Michael Owen (8)
2010/11 Kevin Nolan (12)
2011/12 Demba Ba (16)
2012/13 Demba Ba (13)
2013/14 Loic Remy (14)
2014/15 Cisse (11)
2015/16 Wijnaldum (11)
2017/18 Perez (8)
2018/19 Perez (12)
2019/20 Shelvey (6)

Reds @ SJP - Premier League era:

2019/20 Lost 1-3 Gayle
2018/19
Lost 2-3 Atsu, Rondon
2017/18 Drew 1-1 Joselu
2015/16 Won 2-0 og(Skrtel), Wijnaldum
2014/15 Won 1-0 Perez
2013/14 Drew 2-2 Cabaye, Dummett
2012/13 Lost 0-6
2011/12 Won 2-0 Cisse 2
2010/11 Won 3-1 Nolan, Barton, Carroll
2008/09 Lost 1-5 Edgar
2007/08 Lost 0-3
2006/07 Won 2-1 Martins, Solano(pen)
2005/06 Lost 1-3 Ameobi
2004/05 Won 1-0 Robert
2003/04 Drew 1-1 Shearer (pen)
2002/03 Won 1-0 Robert
2001/02 Lost 0-2
2000/01 Won 2-1 Solano, Dyer
1999/00 Drew 2-2 Shearer, Ferguson
1998/99 Lost 1-4 Guivarc'h
1997/98 Lost 0-2 (LC)
1997/98 Lost 1-2 Watson
1996/97 Drew 1-1 Shearer
1995/96 Won 2-1 Ferdinand, Watson
1994/95 Drew 1-1 Lee
1993/94 Won 3-0 Cole 3

Closing home game results - PL era:

2019/20 Liverpool lost 1-3
2018/19
Liverpool lost 2-3
2017/18 Chelsea won 3-0
2016/17 Barnsley won 3-0 (Ch)
2015/16 Spurs won 5-1
2014/15 West Ham won 2-0
2013/14 Cardiff City won 3-0
2012/13 Arsenal lost 0-1
2011/12 Manchester City lost 0-2
2010/11 West Bromwich Albion drew 3-3
2009/10 Ipswich Town drew 2-2 (Ch)
2008/09 Fulham lost 0-1
2007/08 Chelsea lost 0-2
2006/07 Blackburn Rovers lost 0-2
2005/06 Chelsea won 1-0
2004/05 Chelsea drew 1-1
2003/04 Wolves drew 1-1
2002/03 Birmingham City won 1-0
2001/02 West Ham won 3-1
2000/01 Aston Villa won 3-0
1999/00 Arsenal won 4-2
1998/99 Blackburn Rovers drew 1-1
1997/98 Chelsea won 3-1
1996/97 Nottingham Forest won 5-0
1995/96 Spurs drew 1-1
1994/95 Crystal Palace won 3-2
1993/94 Arsenal won 2-0

(Ch=Championship)

 

Waffle


Newcastle concluded their season on Sunday with a not-unexpected home loss to the side that lifted the Premier League trophy in midweek, despite the Champions giving them a goal start.

United may have scored first, but as was the case at Anfield last September were powerless to act when the Reds began to apply the merest pressure. 

Clad in their new shirts, the black and whites caught both Liverpool and BT Sport unaware by taking the lead just 25 seconds after the first whistle.

Virgil van Dijk bundled over Allan Saint-Maximin on the halfway line and after SJP old boy Gini Wijnaldum helpfully tossed Shelvey the ball, he promptly sent the free kick towards the Leazes End.

Dwight Gayle got between Joe Gomez and Neco Williams, before forcing his shot past goalkeeper Allison. Sadly though BT were showing a rerun of the initial foul and cut back to live pictures of the ball in the net.

Doubts over whether the scorer had timed his run to remain onside were dispelled when VAR belatedly ruled in his favour.

From that point on though, the rest of the afternoon is barely worthy of mention from a Magpies perspective; our habitual casualness in possession allied to a complete lack of any forward threat.

The first hint of a response from the visitors came just before the half hour, when Takumi Minamino tested Martin Dubravka from distance.

However the Magpies goalkeeper was picking the ball out of his net on 38 minutes, after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain pushed down the right and van Dijk rose highest to loop his header home.

Jurgen Klopp responded to our defensive injury problems by benching his first-choice front three - but by the time that Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mo Salah appeared just after the hour, the outcome was already beyond any doubt.

The departing Divock Origi had put his side ahead seconds earlier as he had here last season, and from that point it was just a question of how many more that the visitors would bother to score.

Salah almost immediately struck a post and was then denied by a fine Federico Fernandez interception, but it was Mane who opened up a two goal advantage, his shot beating Dubravka in similar style to Origi's effort.

Joelinton appeared from the bench, but his major contribution to proceedings was having dyed his hair red - quite appropriate for a player and a club that look completely marooned at present.

Speaking after the game, Steve Bruce confirmed that Mike Ashley had spoken to him and the squad via a Zoom link from the USA - but that the conversation was related only to onfield matters and that no update on the takeover was forthcoming.

Crystal Palace's 1-1 draw with Spurs left Newcastle in thirteenth spot for the second successive season. 44 points is one less than they managed in 2018/19 and equal to their 2017/18 tally - hardly a great reward for all that money spent last summer.

Elsewhere, Aston Villa scraped a point at West Ham to stay up, condemning Bournemouth and Watford to the Championship with Norwich City.

What else to say? Well apart from being a blessed relief that this season has finally ended over a year after it started, there's not much new to record.

As he cuddled his opposite number at full time, Steve Bruce and his players may have reflected that the lockdown has actually done him some good - at least in terms of deflecting criticism from him from their own followers. No matter how much you shout at the telly, they really cannot hear you...

The hallmark of this season has been our lack of endeavour and this was again evident today; 1-0 ahead and dropping ever deeper, but with no change in approach at 1-1 or 1-2.

This result was essentially meaningless, but too much of today's non-event has been mirrored through the campaign for comfort. It's difficult to see what progress has been made collectively in 12 months.

They may not have been able to witness this first-hand, but the frustration of the Geordie nation is evident in every text, email and socially-distanced exchange.

This has been a season every bit as uninspiring and unwatchable as feared: the only mild surprise being that seven sides collected less points than ourselves - proof of the utter mundanity of this league.

Graeme Souness spoke recently in praise of Bruce, claiming that his team had got Toon fans on the edge of their seats this season. That may well be true, but certainly not in the way he meant....

What the owner and manager have perpetrated, COVID has exacerbated. The sense of nothingness and indifference feels both overwhelming and perpetual.

Bruce has exceeded our own personal expectations, but only because they were so ludicrously low when he took the job.

There may well be three worse teams than us by next May, but that's no consolation to anyone contemplating another season of this joyless excuse for a football club.

This club desperately needs a project restart of its own - the alternative is too unpalatable to contemplate.

PS: As has become customary at this point, we express our gratitude to everyone who plays a part in ensuring the survival of this website. We also pause to remember those readers who sadly passed away this season.

Biffa


Page last updated 22 August, 2020