In a bye match of the 29th round of the English Premier League, Newcastle United swept the visiting Crystal Palace 5-0 at home, declaring their ambition to qualify for the Champions League with a resounding victory. With the win, Newcastle leapfrogged Nottingham Forest into third place in the league with 59 points, only 4 points behind Arsenal. Crystal Palace, on the other hand, suffered another setback and slipped to 12th place, with their European hopes nearly dashed.
Murphy opens the scoring as Newcastle take an early lead
It wasn’t long before Newcastle built up an early lead in the match, thanks to their home ground. In the 14th minute, Jacob Murphy scored from a narrow angle on the right side of the penalty area, the ball bypassing Crystal Palace goalkeeper Henderson and giving the hosts the lead.
Then in the 32nd minute, Crystal Palace saw a chance to equalize. Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope was fouled in a tackle and the referee awarded the visitors a penalty after VAR intervention. However, Pope was quick to make amends, keeping the lead in the 36th minute with a solid save on Eze’s shot.
Oolong + two goals in extra time, Crystal Palace’s defense collapses
After missing the penalty kick, Crystal Palace seemed to be demoralized. Just two minutes later, in the 38th minute, Crystal Palace’s defender Gershon tried to clear Barnes’ cross, but accidentally knocked the ball into his own goal, giving him an oolong gift, making the score 2-0.
Worse still, in the first half of extra time, Crystal Palace’s defense was completely out of control. In the 45+3th minute, Sandro Tornari launched a counterattack after a break in the midfield, and Harvey Barnes scored with a cool shot on the goalkeeper to make it 3-0. 5 minutes later, Murphy made a precise pass from a free kick, and center back Shaar scored with a header to make it 4-0. Throughout the first half, Newcastle showed a completely suppressive attack, and Crystal Palace was almost powerless to fight back.
The second half is over, and Isaac is the icing on the cake.
The second half started with Crystal Palace trying to get back into the game through a change of personnel. Boss Glasner sent in the substitutes to strengthen the offense, trying to save some face. However, their efforts still had little effect.
In the 57th minute, Crystal Palace center back Lacroix made a mistake in front of the penalty area, and Isaac broke the ball and shot the ball into the net, hitting the inside of the post to make the score 5-0, which was also the last goal of the game.
With a big lead, Newcastle assistant coach Jason Tindall (skipper Eddie Howe was absent due to illness) made changes to the rotation, replacing a number of key players one after another to ensure the players’ fitness reserves and minimize the risk of injuries.
Match Summary: Newcastle play Champions League level football, Crystal Palace’s defense is full of holes
Newcastle were in control of the game from start to finish, showing a strong team style in midfield control, forward advancement and defense coordination. Murphy, Barnes and Isaac’s attacking efficiency, coupled with the header ability of Shaar, a defender, made Newcastle’s attacking means diversified and difficult to prevent.
On the contrary, Crystal Palace, not only did they fail to score from the penalty spot, they even struggled to complete a decent organization. The defense made mistakes and lacked mental strength, especially in the first half, when they were pummeled by four consecutive goals, which basically declared the game ended early.
Impact of current EPL rankings: Newcastle into the top three, Crystal Palace’s ranking is in trouble
After this game, Newcastle moved up to the third place in the EPL with 59 points, and continue to move forward to the Champions League next season. Crystal Palace, on the other hand, are in 12th place with 43 points, 11 points away from seventh-placed Aston Villa, with European qualification almost out of reach. If the team can’t adjust their form quickly in the following matches, they may even be overtaken by the mid-table teams and continue to slide down the rankings.
Both sides’ starting lineups
**Newcastle United Starting XI: **
Goalkeeper: Pope
Defenders: Schaal, Bourne, Trippier (79th minute Craft), Livamento
Midfielders: Chorrington (62nd minute Willock), Tonali, Bruno (72nd minute Longstaff)
Forward: Murphy (62nd min Gordon), Barnes, Isaac (72nd min Wilson)
Crystal Palace starting line-up:
Goalkeeper: Henderson
Defenders: Richards, Guy, Lacroix
Midfielders: Munoz, Mitchell, Lerma (85th minute Devaney), Hughes (57th minute Walton)
Attacking line: Sarr (76th minute Eze), Eze (57th minute Kamada)
Forwards: Matta (56th minute Nketiah)
Summary
With this 5-goal win, Newcastle United not only secured their top 4 position, but also sent a clear signal to their rivals that they have the strength and form to secure a Champions League spot. On the other hand, Crystal Palace’s defensive flaws and missed chances were the key factors that led to the debacle. If they don’t adjust their mentality and tactics as soon as possible, their season goal will gradually become out of reach.
Post Comment