After dominating much of the match, Newcastle United pulled out a 1-0 victory at St. James’ Park.
In a crucial match against a fellow club battling for safety, Newcastle United emerged victorious 1-0 over Huddersfield Town. Ayoze Perez buried the lone goal in the 80th minute. Here are the Toon Takeaways from Newcastle United’s massive win.
Top Toons
Mohamed Diame: The hulking midfielder did a great job of dominating the middle of the park. He was aggressive defensively and made quick passes to keep possession for Newcastle United.
Jonjo Shelvey: He was in top form, despite being the target of Huddersfield’s defense. His long ball to Gayle was flawless and he delivered another bomb to Islam Slimani late in the match. When he’s passing like that, it makes Newcastle United very dangerous.
Florian Lejeune: With Huddersfield comfortable sitting back for most of the match, Lejeune did well to distribute the ball from the center of the defense. His halftime stats below highlight his quality passing.
Most Passes:
— NUFC Index (@NUFC_Index) March 31, 2018
Florian Lejeune - 58/63#NUFC
Ayoze Perez: He was active all match and buried the only score. His composed finish gave Newcastle United three points at home.
Mediocre Magpies
Dwight Gayle: Clearly, Gayle would have been the scapegoat if Newcastle United had not come away with three points. He had two great chances in the box and scuffed both of them. It was a very poor showing from Gayle yesterday.
DeAndre Yedlin: After a solid shift earlier this week with the USMNT, Yedlin’s decision making was sometimes questionable on Saturday for his club. He gave the ball away on a few occasions and gave away an unnecessary foul early on.
Quick Kicks
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-First off, this was a match that Newcastle United would have lost earlier this season. The club has dominated an entire fixture before allowing a goal and dropping points. Yesterday, they showcased determination and composure to see this one out.
-We finally got to see Islam Slimani in a Newcastle United kit. He came on for the ineffective Gayle late in the second half and showcased flashes of what he can do. Slimani’s a big target and works hard to create chances.
-If he is at full fitness, I expect Slimani to get the start next week. Gayle and Joselu have done nothing to keep the job from him.
-Martin Dubravka came away with another clean sheet. He didn’t need to do much but came up with a big stop in added time and gave up his body to do so. Three clean sheets in five matches for the Slovakian shot-stopper.
-Diame seemed to pick up a knock midway through the second half. He was replaced by Isaac Hayden and hopefully, his injury is nothing major. He’s been in great form for Newcastle United and he’s a perfect partner next to Jonjo Shelvey.
-Speaking of Shelvey, what a pass to Gayle. I’m unsure why Gareth Southgate wouldn’t give him a chance. His long passing and vision are elite.
-Kenedy and Matt Ritchie did well to pressure the Huddersfield defense. I’m in favor of Newcastle United making a permanent move for the Chelsea loanee.
What’s Next?
Thankfully, there will not be another three-week wait for the next Newcastle United match. They travel to King Power Stadium next week to face Leicester City. The Foxes sit 8th on the table and defeated Brighton 2-0 yesterday. Wilfred Ndidi will miss the match vs. Newcastle United after picking up a red card this weekend.