Newcastle United 1-2 Leeds United
Leeds United are back to winning ways after a 2-1 victory over Newcastle, which lifted Marcelo Bielsa’s side up to 12th place in the Premier League table. Meanwhile, the Magpies are drifting further into trouble.
Newcastle’s recent Premier League 2021 results have been dreadful and when Jack Harrison fired home a superb volley to win the game, it piled more pressure on beleaguered head coach Steve Bruce, though his side showed no lack of effort and were twice denied by the woodwork.
Highlights of the game
Centre-back Diego Llorente made his first Premier League start for Leeds but he only lasted 10 minutes before going off with a pulled hamstring. It’s such a shame for the former Real Sociedad star who has been dogged by injury in his first season at Elland Road.
Leeds looked a far cry from the attacking unit which has wowed their fans this season, when they slumped to a 0-1 defeat to Brighton recently. But tonight they were back on form and they only took 17 minutes to break down the Newcastle backline.
It was a defensive disaster for the Magpies as Jacob Murphy lost the ball to Patrick Bamford, who fed Rodrigo and passed to Raphinha on the edge of the penalty area. The Brazilian had as much time as he needed to curl home into the bottom corner.
Steve Bruce has been under mounting pressure in recent weeks and he will have been furious to watch as his defence showed no inclination to close Raphinha down.
The Magpies had a glorious chance to hit back immediately but Jamaal Lascelles fired wide from a corner.
They had another set-piece opportunity when Callum Wilson was fouled some 40 yards out. The big men came up but Jonjo Shelvey, for reasons known only to himself, blazed the ball over the bar. Newcastle continued to press and almost benefited from a drop by Leeds keeper Illan Meslier, but the visitors’ defence scrambled the ball away.
Leeds came close to doubling their lead just before the break when Rodrigo rattled the post from a tight angle when a square pass to Bamford was the best option.
In Leeds’ first attack of the second half, Stuart Dallas had the ball in the net but was adjudged to have handled. But Newcastle looked brighter than they have for some time and were level on 57 minutes when Miguel Almiron was sent through on goal by Callum Wilson and he slotted calmly home.
The lead lasted just four minutes and it was Jack Harrison, on loan from Manchester City, who took a touch after collecting a lobbed ball before hitting a spectacular volley into the corner to give Leeds the edge for the second time.
Newcastle keeper Karl Darlow kept the Geordies in the game with a reflex save from a Rafinha cross shot and then Jamal Lewis was agonisingly close to equalising but his shot hit the angle of post and crossbar and then, minutes later, Lascelles clipped the crossbar with a header.
The Geordies were better, but that will be no consolation for their fans as Leeds march on.
Key statistics
The pre-match SBOTOP odds offered a Leeds win at a price of 1.94, but Bielsa’s side was pushed all the way by their hosts, who put in their best performance in weeks, winning the shot count by 22 to eight and five to two on target.
But the Magpies’ goal was their first in almost seven hours of football, and they are now on a winless run of 11 and have suffered six defeats on the bounce in all competitions.
It was the first time Bruce had lost a home game against Leeds in his managerial career, previously winning five and drawing two, while Leeds have ended a three-match losing run.
What’s next?
Next Saturday Newcastle head to Goodison Park to play Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton and that will be another huge test for Bruce’s team. The Toffees have won four from the last five in all competitions and sit handily in sixth place, eight points off the top but with two games in hand.
The Magpies are looming large now in relegation section of the Premier League 2021 betting odds and they need to get some points on the board quickly. They currently sit seven above 18th placed Fulham who have a six-pointer clash against Brighton on Wednesday night. The Cottagers have two games in hand on the Magpies
Leeds host Everton next Wednesday, but before that they have an away game to high flying Leicester City. The Foxes are in third place, two points off the lead having collected 14 from the last six games.
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