Leicester 0-3 Newcastle: Jacob Murphy strikes twice as Eddie Howe’s Magpies increase their hopes of Champions League qualification
- Jacob Murphy scored the 19th and 20th goals of his Newcastle United career
- Monday’s result left Leicester in 19th place, while Newcastle jumped to fifth
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Barely 24 hours after Southampton were relegated amid debate about worst teams ever to compete in the Premier League came Leicester’s application.
They might be seven points better off than the Saints but they have been downright dismal since the turn of the year and are plunging straight back to the Championship.
Ruud van Nistelrooy, appointed at the end of November, has transformed a poor side into an awful one, and appears increasingly unlikely to make it to the end of the season as the unwanted records pile up around him.
Leicester were simply no match for Newcastle and have now lost 22 of 31 Premier League games, 15 of 16 since mid-December. They have lost 11 at home in the league for the first time in their 141-year history.
They have conceded 70, only three fewer than Southampton and, perhaps worst of all, are the first in the Premier League era to lose eight successive home games without scoring.
‘Very disappointing,’ said Van Nistelrooy. ‘I came here with intent to bring the club forward, so far it didn’t work, we’ve tried different things without results.’
Newcastle boosted their hopes of Champions League qualification by winning at Leicester
Jacob Murphy scored the 19th and 20th goals of his Newcastle career during a one-side game
Ruud van Nistelrooy has transformed a poor Leicester side into an awful one since taking over from Steve Cooper
Pressed about his own future, the Leicester boss added: ‘The most important thing is the club, and these players.
‘It’s been such a bad run and a bad run of games, not getting results and not being able to score goals for me it’s about taking time to recover from this.
‘This is a difficult night. It’s important to analyse this and sleep on it and recover. That’s all I can say for now.’
Newcastle, still riding their wave of jubilation from the Carabao Cup win, were ahead inside two minutes, slicing through the painfully thin blue line of defence.
Wilfried Ndidi missed a tackle in midfield and Bruno Guimaraes released Barnes. Tino Livramento steamed by on the overlap and delivered a fabulous cross with his left foot, converted at the back post by Jacob Murphy.
‘Great start, a brilliant first goal,’ said Howe. ‘We were professional, there was a big question, how would we respond to that massive high and the players have responded magnificently. ‘
Newcastle’s second came via an audacious attempt from inside his own half by Fabian Schar, who read a pass and pinched the ball from Jamie Vardy, saw Mads Hermansen off his line and went for goal.
Everyone froze as the ball sailed over the goalkeeper’s head and thumped against the bar. All except Murphy who was sprinting forward to seize the rebound and claim his second of the night, despite a clumsy first touch.
Murphy, who also bagged a brace in the reverse fixture, netted twice in the first 11th minutes
Newcastle were 3-0 up before half-time thanks to a goal by former Foxes star Harvey Barnes
Leicester fans began leaving the King Power Stadium en masse after Barnes scored goal No 3
The Foxes are nailed-on to join Southampton in being relegated back to the Championship
The mood inside the King Power threatened to turn toxic. There were boos and songs of protest aimed at director of football John Rudkin.
Nick Pope made a save from Bilal El Khannouss before they conceded a third when Harvey Barnes tapped into an open net after Hermansen had saved from Joelinton.
Barnes, playing at the King Power for the first time since his move to Newcastle, refused to celebrate.
Points safe, the visitors strolled through the second half in containment mode as their fans sang about another European adventure, which could well be in the Champions League as they move up to fifth.
There would be no consolation goal for Leicester. In the first half, Patson Daka’s fizzing drive struck both posts and rebounded to Nick Pope, who smiled as he gathered the ball while sat on the turf.
A flag went up against Vardy so it might not have counted. Wout Faes went close with a header from a corner near the end, but there was nothing for the home fans to cheer apart from a debut for exciting 15-year-old winger, Jeremy Monga.
