Football news - Leicester City climb into third with big win as Newcastle problems deepen
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Updated 29/09/2019 at 18:24 GMT
Premier League, King Power Stadium – Leicester City 5 (Pereira 16, Vardy 54 64, Dummett 57 og, Ndidi 90) Newcastle United 0
Leicester celebrate
Image credit: Getty Images
Jamie Vardy struck a brace as Leicester City hammered Newcastle United 5-0 to climb into third and leave the Magpies rooted in the relegation zone.
Newcastle’s challenge was not helped when, already 1-0 down to Ricardo Pereira’s early solo effort, Isaac Hayden was shown a straight red card for a horror challenge on Dennis Praet shortly before half-time.
Leicester made their numerical advantage count after the restart with Vardy striking either side of a Paul Dummett own goal and Wilfried Ndidi adding late gloss.
Newcastle knew they were in for a difficult afternoon right from the off after a fine move worked a chance for Ayoze Perez, against his former club, but he could not beat Martin Dubravka in the Newcastle goal from close range.
The opener came in the 16th minute courtesy of the boot of Ricardo for the second successive match as, with Newcastle’s defence parting like the Red Sea, he found the bottom corner after making his way to the edge of the penalty area unchallenged.
Leicester had chances to double their lead in the first half, with their task made all the more easier moments before the interval after Hayden’s reckless challenge on Praet earned him a straight red card from referee Craig Pawson.
The floodgates opened after the break with two goals in quick succession, the first being a finish from the tightest of angles from Vardy, before Praet enticed a huge deflection from Dummett to make it three.
The goals continued to flow as Vardy headed his fifth of the season on the end of a lovely cross from Marc Albrighton, with Newcastle toiling in the Leicester rain.
Ndidi completed the rout in the 90th minute with a fine drilled finish as Leicester strolled to a fourth win in five league games, while Newcastle remain languishing down in 19th and in a real spot of bother.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2019/09/29/2686391-55550130-2560-1440.jpg)
Newcastle fans look dejected
Image credit: Getty Images
TALKING POINT
Are Leicester the real deal? With Manchester United in disarray, Chelsea very much in transition and Arsenal shipping goals left, right and centre, this year represents as good a chance as any for a team like Leicester to break into that top six, or even top four. With so much attacking talent, a defender in Caglar Soyuncu who has more than filled the void left by Harry Maguire, and a manager who knows a thing or two about competing at the top of the Premier League, the Foxes are poised to make that leap. Newcastle were simply no match for Leicester’s brilliance.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Jamie Vardy. Since Rodgers’ first match with Leicester in March, Vardy has scored more Premier League goals than any other player. The 32-year-old was everywhere for his side in the rain against Newcastle and took his chances brilliantly when they presented themselves. For all Leicester’s vibrancy through their exciting young players, it is veteran Vardy who still rules the roost.
PLAYER RATINGS
Leicester: Schmeichel 7, Chilwell 8, Pereira 8, Soyuncu 8, Evans 7, Ndidi 8, Tielemans 8, Praet 7, Barnes 8, Perez 6, Vardy 9. Subs: Albrighton 8, Choudhury 6, Gray N/A.
Newcastle: Dubravka 6, Dummett 6, Schar 6, Lascelles 5, Krafth 6, Hayden 3, S. Longstaff 5, Almiron 4, Atsu 4, Muto 4, Joelinton 4. Subs: Ki 6, Carroll 6, Yedlin 6.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2019/09/29/2686229-55546890-2560-1440.jpg)
Leicester celebrate
Image credit: Getty Images
KEY MOMENTS
2’ - SAVE! Brilliant from Harvey Barnes, linking up well with Youri Tielemans before sliding the ball across for Ayoze Perez, against his former club, but he is denied by a smart save from Martin Dubravka from close range. 12’ - MISS! Hayden elects to shoot from distance, drags his effort across the face of goal, Muto arrives, but misses the ball completely. Good chance if he had connected.
16’ - GOAL! Leicester 1-0 Newcastle. Great finish from Ricardo Pereira to break the deadlock, aided by woeful defending from the visitors. Two in two now for the Portuguese full-back. Picking up the ball from deep, he simply ran at the heart of the Newcastle backline, and it parted like the Red Sea, allowing Ricardo space to drill the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the penalty area.
43’ - RED CARD FOR HAYDEN! The Newcastle midfielder goes in over the top, it catches Dennis Praet and Craig Pawson brandishes the straight red. Very, very dangerous indeed.
54’ - GOAL! Leicester 2-0 Newcastle. And there it is. Incisive move finished off by Vardy, but Dubravka should not be beaten at his near post. Praet fired a lovely ball into Barnes, who flicked it through for Vardy. The angle was very tight, but Vardy fired for goal, through Dubravka, and into the net. That's four this season for Vardy.
57’ - GOAL! Leicester 3-0 Newcastle. This could get very messy for Newcastle as Praet, via a huge deflection, makes it three. Praet was certainly looking for team-mates in the middle, Paul Dummett tries to block, but instead diverts the ball into the net past the despairing dive of Dubravka.
64’ - GOAL! Leicester 4-0 Newcastle. Vardy heads his fifth of the season to make it four. Old school from Leicester as Albrighton clips a wonderful cross in for Vardy to head home. Newcastle are in big trouble here.
90’ - GOAL! Leicester 5-0 Newcastle. A dismal afternoon complete for Newcastle as Ndidi makes it five. Cross from Chilwell found Ndidi, who controlled, swivelled and fired into the bottom corner with style. Fine goal.
KEY STATS
- Ricardo Pereira has scored in back-to-back Premier League games for the first time, netting as many goals in his last two appearances as he had in his first 40 games in the competition
- Since the start of last season, Newcastle midfielder Isaac Hayden is the only player to have been shown more than one straight red card in the Premier League
- Hayden's red card is the 52nd occasion in which Steve Bruce has seen one of his players dismissed in the Premier League; only Arsene Wenger (78) has seen more of his players sent off in the competition
- Brendan Rodgers has never lost a home Premier League game against sides starting the day in the relegation zone (P14 W12 D2 L0)
- Jamie Vardy has scored 10 Premier League goals at the King Power Stadium in 2019 - the only players with more at a specific venue in this period are Sadio Mané (14 at Anfield) and Sergio Agüero (12 at the Etihad)
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article