Newcastle 4 Leicester 0 – Now, about that consistency…

The Mag

·15 de dezembro de 2024

Newcastle 4 Leicester 0 – Now, about that consistency…

It felt very tense in the lead up to this one.

Bad news just kept dumping itself on our doorstep in big unwelcome plops for several days preceding the game.

Vídeos OneFootball

PLOP! – Shocking performance at Brentford

PLOP! Wilson injured again.

PLOP! Nick Pope out for a month.

It felt like there was a tipping point as newly promoted Leicester arrived, still in the arc of a new manager bounce following Van Nistelrooy’s appointment.

My fear going into this was that Leicester would have learned the lesson of anyone getting any joy at SJP and deploy the low block that we just don’t seem to have an answer to. To give the visitors their credit, this was far from the case, as their commitment to playing out from the back was unwavering and more than a bit reminiscent of Burnley last season. The visitors came for a game, so there was no excuse for United not giving them one.

After a rare case of winning the toss against Liverpool, Bruno was back to sending us the wrong way again. I get the feeling in these games you need the goal in the first half to avoid the opposition getting a bit of confidence at a time when United seem a bit fragile in that department, and they really took to that challenge while attacking the Gallowgate. Anthony Gordon looked well up for it in his preferred wide left position and he made the first opportunity for himself, cutting inside and firing a vicious shot that Hermansen did well to palm away at full stretch.

United players were then queueing up to have efforts as Leicester allowed the open game, despite failing to create much for themselves. Dan Burn headed narrowly over from Gordon’s cross, then Isak went on a brilliant mazy run that had goal of the season vibes had he walked it all the way in. It broke to Joelinton whose shot was blocked as far as Murphy, but his effort was woefully wide when hitting the target was the least he should have done.

The identity of the shot blocker was a real blast from the past as Hamza Choudhury had put his considerable head in the way (despite shouts for handball). Choudhury is of course synonymous with pathetic transfer efforts under the previous regime, after the infamous failed attempt to take him on loan one transfer deadline day. His name still comes up in regular social media each transfer deadline from people who don’t like new jokes. I had no idea he was even still at Leicester, having been loaned out in recent years, and as it turned out this was apparently his first Premier League start in two and a half years. His appearance for a comfortably beaten opponent maybe a stark reminder of how far we’ve come in recent years, amid the dark clouds of the past few weeks.

Anyway, Murphy would soon atone for his glaring miss, giving United the overdue lead on the half hour. I was loudly wondering why Gordon was stood deep on the touchline as Hall took a short corner to Tonali. He played in Gordon’s overlapping run and the unmarked Murphy was picked out with precision on the edge of the box. He still had work to do with the penalty area packed with visiting players, but was given the time and space to pick out the bottom corner. A moment of justification for Murphy and for Howe’s persistence in using him in that right wing berth.

There were chances to put things to bed before half time, as Joelinton played in Isak but he seemed to get the ball caught in his feet after an excellent first touch, producing a weak effort into the keepers arms. Bruno then went down rather easily under a challenge where there was (minimal) contact but visiting players were more inclined to think a booking for diving would have been a more fitting punishment. It’s possible this perceived injustice was fresh in Bruno’s mind as he went steaming into a tackle on Mavididi that did earn him a yellow, with the Leicester narrative suggesting this would have been a second had the dive been addressed. Pff.

Half time then and bad news if you were sloppy getting back to your seat after the break. Leicester had outfield players taking goal kicks first half so it wasn’t a massive surprise to see Danny Ward replacing Hermansen in goal. It felt like his first two touches of the ball were to retrieve it from the net as United settled the game in quick time.

Incredibly, United scored from a second set play in succession (don’t say we’ve been practising?) when Gordon floated a free kick to the back post where the amount of space Hall was in was incredible. He headed it back across to Bruno who had a similar acre and a simple task to nod it over the line.

The Leicester defence must not have noticed Hall or something as moments later he was given the freedom of the wing again, to run onto Gordon’s pass. Hall’s cross was diverted by an outstretched defensive leg straight onto the head of Isak, 3-0 and Ward hadn’t got his gloves dirty yet.

The game was done as a contest but United continued to pile forward. Hall released Isak who went on another cheeky run, drawing the hapless defence before finding Murphy in another one of those empty square miles of defence Leicester enjoyed leaving for us. He had to score but blazed over the bar horribly, replays suggesting Ward had got a touch on it. Moments later the exact same move happened with the exact same players but this time Murphy applied a clinical finish across goal. A cracking brace but Murphy will never get a better chance to notch a Newcastle United hat-trick.

In recent weeks Howe has been criticised for substitutions that have not helped the game at all. This time they were pretty ideal, as 4-0 on the hour mark allowed wholesale changes with half an eye on the quarter final with Brentford on Wednesday. Of course Howe took Murphy off as he does when someone threatens a hat-trick, with Bruno, Isak, Livramento and Gordon all given respite as Trippier, Longstaff, Willock, Osula and Barnes got some minutes in the legs.

It was the latter who came closest to stretching the lead, Osula playing Barnes in but his finish from a tight angle wasn’t enough for him to get on the scoresheet against his old club. The presence of Osula was a big factor here as Wilson’s recent injury has pushed him up the pecking order and now that he’s had a good few months of assimilation I feel that everyone would like to see him show what he can do. There was a tangible will for him to score every time he touched the ball, but despite some tidy touches like the one above, he didn’t have a real chance in his twenty minute spell.

So, a good win that could have been even better, but the only negative ahead of the busy Christmas period was Joelinton picking up that fifth booking that will see him miss Ipswich with suspension.

I’ve said a few times lately that the league cup can offer salvation in a season that looks fairly benign in the Premier League. Wednesday’s game is massive and getting a bit of confidence flowing and some strong performances from our big players is excellent stuff ahead of that match, not to mention the squad management meaning we should be fairly fresh against an opponent stuffed into a ridiculous Sunday night kick off.

So, a good day of the office and up to the heady heights of 11th. Now, about that consistency…

Newcastle 4 Leicester 0 – Saturday 14 December 3pm

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Murphy 30, 60 Bruno 47 Isak 50

Leicester:

Possession was Newcastle 60% Leicester 40%

Total shots were Newcastle 27 Leicester 4

Shots on target were Newcastle 11 Leicester 1

Corners were Newcastle 5 Leicester 2

Touches in the box Newcastle 53 Leicester 9

Newcastle team v Leicester:

Dubravka, Livramento (Trippier 65), Schar, Burn, Hall, Tonali, Bruno (Longstaff 65), Joelinton, Murphy (Barnes 65), Isak (Osula 73), Gordon (Willock 81)

Unused Subs:

Vlachodimos, Targett, Almiron, Kelly

You can follow the author on BlueSky @bigjimwinsalot.bsky.social

(Newcastle 4 Leicester 0 – Match ratings and comments on all Newcastle United players – Read HERE)

(BBC Sport comments from ‘neutrals’ – Very interesting on Newcastle United after win v Leicester – Read HERE)

(Newcastle 4 Leicester 0 – Instant Newcastle United fan/writer reaction – Read HERE)

(Newcastle 4 Leicester 0 – If his next outing proves just as easy, United should be playing in the League Cup semi-finals again – Read HERE)

Newcastle United upcoming matches:

Wednesday 18 December – Newcastle v Brentford (7.45pm) Sky Sports+ (Carabao Cup)

Saturday 21 December – Ipswich v Newcastle (3pm)

Thursday 26 December – Newcastle v Villa (3pm) Amazon

Monday 30 December – Man U v Newcastle (8pm) Sky Sports