FootyChatter.com

Alexander Isak has now scored seven Premier League goals this season, more than any other Newcastle player. Newcastle emphatically halted a run of four Premier League games without victory as Eddie Howe's team inflicted a first defeat on new Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy. The Magpies dominated the first half and took the lead when Jacob Murphy, who had already spurned two good opportunities to put the home side ahead, fired low into the corner following a clever corner routine. Alexander Isak shot too close to Mads Hermansen in a one-on-one with the Leicester goalkeeper, but the hosts remained on the front foot in the second half and were 3-0 up within five minutes of the restart. Bruno Guimaraes headed in from close range following another well-worked set-piece, before Isak nodded home from a similar position after Lewis Hall's cross was deflected into his path by Conor Coady. Murphy fired over the crossbar not long afterwards and Isak sidefooted straight at Danny Ward – a half-time substitute for Hermansen – but the Magpies' winger eventually made it 4-0 with a low drive past the substitute keeper. The hosts could have rubbed further salt into Leicester's wounds late on as Sandro Tonali fired into the side-netting and former Foxes forward Harvey Barnes curled a left-footed shot wide of the far post. Victory lifted Newcastle up to 11th, while Leicester remain precariously placed in 16th spot, two points above the bottom three. Follow reaction to Saturday's Premier League games Have your say on Newcastle’s performance What did you make of Leicester’s display? Let us know here Saturday's success was only the Magpies' third in the Premier League since mid-September, but such is the congestion in the middle part of the table that they are only four points off fourth-placed Manchester City before a key run of fixtures. Whether Howe's team can finally generate some momentum remains to be seen, but there were positive signs here as they caused the Foxes numerous problems down the left-hand side in the first half. Gordon was particularly lively, forcing Hermansen into a brilliant one-handed save inside the first 10 minutes before teeing up Murphy for the opener. They should have been further ahead at the break, but any fears the home fans may have had about Newcastle's first-half profligacy coming back to haunt them were firmly put to bed early in the second period thanks to the close-range finishes from Guimaraes and Isak. Tonali and Barnes could have got in on the act, but Murphy's second of the game proved to be the final flourish on a near-perfect afternoon for the hosts, who ended the game with 27 attempts and 11 on target. After travelling to Ipswich next weekend, the Magpies face fellow European hopefuls Aston Villa, Manchester United and Tottenham in their subsequent three league fixtures. First up, however, is Wednesday's home Carabao Cup quarter-final against Brentford, who beat Newcastle in the Premier League just last weekend. After back-to-back home games, this was arguably Van Nistelrooy's biggest test of his brief Leicester reign so far – but the Dutchman's side were second-best all over the pitch at St James' Park. Other than a late spell of pressure before the interval, they failed to threaten Martin Dubravka's goal and could count themselves fortunate not to have lost by more. Van Nistelrooy was not helped by the absences of the injured Wilfred Ndidi and the suspended Boubakary Soumare, with Hamza Choudhury drafted into midfield for his first Premier League start in more than two and a half years. He may, however, feel aggrieved at referee Thomas Bramall's decision not to book Guimaraes for going down too easily under Jannik Vestergaard's first-half challenge in the area, with the Brazilian then cautioned just moments later for a tackle on Stephy Mavididi. Before half-time substitute stopper Ward had even touched the ball, Guimaraes had made it 2-0. Whether the midfielder should have been on the pitch or not, the manner of Leicester's second-half collapse will alarm the Dutchman, who cut a frustrated figure for the majority of the contest as his team were outplayed in every department. The Foxes welcome second-bottom Wolves to the King Power Stadium next weekend in a crucial encounter, before games against leaders Liverpool and Manchester City in late December. After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users. Comments can not be loaded To load Comments you need to enable Java Script in your browser Last Updated 14th December 2024 at 18: 59 Please Note: All times UK. Tables are subject to change. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made. Manager: Eddie Howe Formation: 4 - 3 - 3 Manager: Ruud van Nistelrooij Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 Manager: Eddie Howe Formation: 4 - 3 - 3 Manager: Ruud van Nistelrooij Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 Premier League All competitions All competitions All competitions Newcastle have won just one of their last seven Premier League home games against Leicester (D1 L5), though both times they’ve avoided defeat have come under Eddie Howe. Leicester have won six Premier League away games against Newcastle, more than they have versus any other opponent. Five of these victories have come in their last seven visits to St James’ Park. Newcastle have lost just one of their last 21 Premier League meetings with promoted sides (W12 D8), going down 1-0 at Luton Town last season. Newcastle have shipped 3+ goals in each of their last two Premier League games (3-3 vs Liverpool, 2-4 vs Brentford), last doing so in three games in a row in December and January last season. The Magpies have done so on 10 occasions in 2024, only doing so more often in 2021 (12) and 2014 (11) in a single year. This is Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy’s seventh game in charge of a Premier League side in all competitions this season but the first time he’s managed a game away from home. In his playing career, the Dutchman played five games at St James’ Park and scored in every single game, the joint best 100% scoring ratio by a player at a venue along with Foxes striker Jamie Vardy at the Hawthorns. Excluding MD1, Newcastle have won just one of their seven Premier League games this season against sides starting the day in the bottom half of the table (D3 L3), averaging 0. 86 points-per-game. This is compared to three wins and a 1. 57 points-per-game average in seven matches against sides beginning the day in the top half this term (D2 L2). Newcastle striker Alexander Isak has been involved in 24 Premier League goals for the club in 2024 (19 goals, 5 assists), the most by a Newcastle player in a year since Alan Shearer in 2002 (27 goals, 4 assists). The only Magpies players to score 20+ goals in a year are Shearer (22 in 1999, 27 in 2002) and Andrew Cole (24 in 1994). Newcastle’s Bruno Guimarães has won 56 fouls in the Premier League this season, 21 more than any other player. He’s been fouled, on average, 3. 8 times per 90 minutes in 2024-25, the most by a player since Jack Grealish in 2020-21 (4. 5, minimum 500 minutes played). Leicester striker Jamie Vardy has been involved in seven goals in his last seven Premier League appearances (4 goals, 3 assists), including at least one in his last three; Vardy could become the oldest player to score or assist in four consecutive Premier League appearances if he does so in this game. 37-year-old Jamie Vardy has six goals and three assists in the Premier League this season for Leicester and could become just the fifth player aged 37+ to have a hand in 10 goals in a single season, after Teddy Sheringham in 2003-04 (9 goals, 4 assists), Gary Speed in 2006-07 (8 goals, 2 assists), Ryan Giggs in 2011-12 (2 goals, 8 assists) and Cristiano Ronaldo in 2021-22 (10 goals). Match ends, Newcastle United 4, Leicester City 0. Second Half ends, Newcastle United 4, Leicester City 0. Caleb Okoli (Leicester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Joe Willock (Newcastle United) wins a free kick on the left wing. Foul by Caleb Okoli (Leicester City). Jannik Vestergaard (Leicester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Harvey Barnes (Newcastle United) wins a free kick on the right wing. Foul by Jannik Vestergaard (Leicester City). Fourth official has announced 5 minutes of added time. Offside, Leicester City. Victor Kristiansen is caught offside. Attempt missed. Lewis Hall (Newcastle United) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Harvey Barnes with a cross. Attempt saved. Harvey Barnes (Newcastle United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Lewis Hall. Corner, Newcastle United. Conceded by Victor Kristiansen. Delay over. They are ready to continue. Delay in match because of an injury Facundo Buonanotte (Leicester City). Substitution, Leicester City. Bobby De Cordova-Reid replaces Bilal El Khannouss. Substitution, Newcastle United. Joe Willock replaces Anthony Gordon. Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United) wins a free kick on the left wing. Foul by James Justin (Leicester City). Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the attacking half. © 2024 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.