The good, the bad, and the ugly from Newcastle’s win over So’ton
Up against the odds yesterday, Newcastle United came away with a 3-2 victory vs. Southampton. It was an eventful match on a rainy day at St. James’ Park. We look back at the good, the bad, and the ugly from the gritty performance from Steve Bruce’s side.
The Good
Allan Saint-Maximin’s impact in the starting XI: Over the last few weeks, fans and pundits have been eager to see ASM back in the starting lineup. Yesterday, he made his return and was a game-changer immediately for Steve Bruce’s side. He picked up two assists in the win and tested the Southampton defense the entire time he was on the pitch.
Miguel Almiron’s performance from start to finish: Was his first goal going in without the deflection? Probably not, but it doesn’t matter! The Paraguayan picked up his first brace with the club and was a workhorse all match, especially late as Newcastle tried to hold off the Saints.
Joe Willock’s debut: Scoring within the first 20 minutes of your debut is a good start at any club. Willock brought a new dimension to the Newcastle midfield as he got the start and calmly converted after Saint-Maximin found his run into the box. He had to turn in a great shift defensively to keep So’ton from equalizing.
The Bad
Javier Manquillo and Callum Wilson exiting in the first half: Bruce was forced to make two changes in the first half as both Javi and Wilson had to come off due to injury. While Manquillo would be an unfortunate loss, Wilson missing any time could be devastating for the Magpies.
Jonjo Shelvey’s miss: Early in the second half, Jonjo could’ve put Newcastle ahead 4-1 and essentially iced the match. But, he smoked an easy chance and So’ton capitalized at the other end, leading to a frantic finish.
Next. This young Newcastle duo has earned more opportunities. dark
The Ugly
Starting Jeff Hendrick: Bruce decided to stick with Hendrick in the central midfield for some reason and the struggling summer signing picked up two yellow cards in 50 minutes of action.
Fabian Schar’s injury: Not only did the center-back’s exit really put Newcastle up against it, but it also looks to be a major injury. He suffered some major contact to his leg and went down immediately in visible pain. Most times you have to be stretchered off, it’s not going to be good news…