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Season 2018-19
Burnley (a) Premier League

 

 
Date:
Monday 26th November 2018, 8pm 8.30pm. Live on Sky Sports

Venue:
 Turf Moor

Conditions: Exultant

Programme: £3



Burnley

Newcastle United

1 - 2

.
 

Teams

Goals

4 mins A half-cleared free-kick by United fell to Federico Fernandez, whose instinctive shot from the edge of the box flicked off home defender Ben Mee to give Joe Hart absolutely no chance.1-0

23 mins A cross by Matt Ritchie from the right flank following a corner was glanced home by the head of Ciaran Clark in front of the Jimmy McIlroy Stand. 2-0

40 mins  Visiting goalkeeper Martin Dubravka was left stranded off his line after home forward Sam Vokes climbed highest to reach Mee's speculative punt into the box and nodded it goalwards 2-1

Half time: Clarets 1 Magpies 2
 
Full time:
Clarets 1 Magpies 2

We Said

 

Rafa Benitez:

"Every game for us is like a final. Winning is massive because it gives us more confidence. There is still a long race ahead but we are doing well and hopefully we can continue that.

"We needed to win and to perform well. The players did it and were amazing in terms of effort, organisation and team spirit.

"We were working in the week trying to manage Burnley's two big centre-forwards and the players did really well.

"The main thing for us is to make sure we can get something out of these games. We have confidence now and the players will continue pushing and working hard.

"Our away fans are amazing. At home, they are really good but, away, they are even better because they come here just to support the team and enjoy the game. 

"So, when you go back with three points, it's the best thing you can do for them.

On Ciaran Clark - who captained the side:


"I think he did well. The three centre-backs had to adapt to two strong strikers, and after they put more big lads on the pitch. 

"I think they did really well. For someone who was not playing to play at the level he played, I'm really pleased with him."

On Matt Ritchie's point-blank miss:

"I need to see the replay! I couldn’t believe it. I will watch the replay and hopefully we can have a laugh. If not, we will be talking with Ritchie seriously."

Matt Ritchie:

"Horrific miss, horrendous, but that's life, it's football.

"Luckily enough it's not cost us and I can smile about it...but inside it hurts.

"It's a miss that I'll probably remember for the rest of my life, but I'll make sure it doesn't happen again.

"I'm sure it'll last forever
(the teasing). I'll move on. I'm a strong character and I'll make sure it doesn't affect me. I've dealt with setbacks in my career and this is a minor setback."

They Said

 

SeanDyche croaked: 

"I’m frustrated because it was aperformance that looked more like us. We’ve conceded a lucky goal and a poorone, and that’s something we have tried to eradicate over the past few weeks,after a tough start.

“We’ve given too many of them away this year, and we’re still trying to iron out those details.

“But other than there were a lot of good things and I was pleased with the mentality. It’s not easy when you are two goals down, but we’ve asked questions, opened them up and it’s difficult to play against 4-5-1 when they are two up, but we still asked enough.

“There were some really good performances tonight because the character, energy and belief in the side is still intact, so it’s another frustrating one.

“Last season we won something like 12 games by the odd goal and I said then that the margins are super tight. Sometimes the details are not quite there, but I think we are coming back to being us.

“But we know we have to turn performances into results and that means being better in both boxes. They are the important areas of the pitch, and we are getting closer to doing them well.

“Tonight, the quality of chances we created was good and that’s got to continue. 

"I never question the forwards for missing a chance; only if they’re not getting in there and tonight the two centre forwards were alive around the box and both played very well.

"We also finished super strong and we aware still creating chances right up to the whistle, and I want the mentality to continue because tonight they have done enough, with that level of performance, to get what we need.” 

Stats


NUFC last five PL seasons after thirteen games:

2018/19: 12 points, 13th (scored 11, conceded 16)
2017/18: 12 points, 13th (scored 11, conceded 16)
2015/16: 10 points, 17th (scored 13, conceded 25)
2014/15: 19 points, 8th (scored 14, conceded 16)
2013/14: 23 points, 6th (scored 19, conceded 18)

Following two draws at SJP and a win and a defeat at Turf Moor, Newcastle also achieved their first-ever PL victory over Burnley at the fifth time of asking.


Newcastle's first away victory of the season was also our maiden Premier League success on the road against Burnley and the first time we've taken maximum points from a game at Turf Moor since Boxing Day 1975.

This result reduces the number of clubs that we're yet to win at in the Premier League to nine, three of which are currently in the top flight: Brighton and Hove Albion, Huddersfield Town and Watford. The remaining six are former Premier League clubs: Barnsley, Blackpool, Bradford City, Reading, Swindon Town and Wimbledon.

Monday misery halted:

Since a 3-0 home win over Wigan Athletic in December 2012, Newcastle had played no less than ten PL Monday night matches in front of the TV cameras - losing every single one of them. Until tonight.

Dec 2012 Fulham (a) lost 1-2
Aug 2013 Manchester City (a) lost 0-4
Sep 2013 Everton (a) lost 2-3
Apr 2014 Arsenal (a) lost 0-3
Sep 2014 Stoke City (a) lost 0-1
Apr 2015 Liverpool (a) lost 0-2
Sep 2015 West Ham (a) lost 0-2
Mar 2016 Leicester City (a) lost 0-1
Oct 2017 Burnley (a) lost 0-1
Apr 2018
Everton (a) lost 0-1
Nov 2018
Burnley (a) won 2-1

Before tonight's victory, our last PL away point in a Monday night live TV game had come in a 2-2 draw at Everton in September 2012 and you had to return to the halcyon days of October 2011 and Demba Ba's treble in a 3-1 win at Stoke for the last victory.

(NB: Newcastle did win twice on a Monday night during the 2016/17 Championship season, beating both Preston North End and Aston Villa at SJP).

Magpies @ Turf Moor - last 10:

2018/19 won 2-1 og(Mee), Clark
2017/18 lost 0-1
2014/15
drew 1-1 Cisse
2000/01 won 1-0 Cort (FR)
1982/83
lost 0-1
1979/80 lost 2-3 Shoulder, Barton
1978/79 lost 0-1
1975/76 won 1-0 T.Craig(pen)
1974/75 lost 1-4 Barrowclough
1970/71 drew 1-1 Barrowclough

Our fourth and fifth away goals this season were like the first three - scored in the first half.
 

Waffle


Sheer Hart attack

Newcastle chalked up a third successive victory with a memorable success at Turf Moor to finally banish their Monday night curse, although in their own inimitable fashion, Rafa's side made harder work of the task than they really should have.

Two ahead inside the opening 23 minutes and with the hosts showing no tangible threat, Clarets striker Sam Vokes was allowed to head his side back into the game and spark five minutes of mild panic before half time.

Following an incredible Matt Ritchie miss from two yards out after the break, Magpies substitute Joselu then saw his shot cannon back off a post before Burnley almost stole a point when Vokes headed over deep into injury time.

Within seconds though, the final whistle blew to signal scenes of jubilation on and off the pitch and a first away win of the season that took United up into 13th position in the Premier League table.

The scheduled kick-off was put back half an hour due to a medical emergency and that delay seemed to work in Newcastle's favour, with the home side caught out in only the fourth minute. 

A half-cleared free-kick fell to Federico Fernandez and the defender's snap shot from the edge of the box flicked off defender Ben Mee to give Joe Hart absolutely no chance.

Things got even better for United in the 23rd minute, Ritchie whipping over a cross from the right following a corner kick that Ciaran Clark glanced inside the far post from eight yards for 2-0. 

With United dominating possession and firmly in control, the Clarets looked to have no way back and it was a major shock when they scored five minutes before the break. Vokes heading Mee's hopeful diagonal ball to Vokes over Martin Dubravka and into the net in front of the away end.

Rafa's side were suddenly under the cosh but crucially made it to the break without further calamity; Dubravka denying Chris Woods with one fine stop.

Ritchie's miss came in the 50th minute following great work by DeAndre Yedlin who intercepted the ball and drove into the box (and was fouled) before Hart saved his effort. Ritchie then somehow sliced his shot into the side netting with the goal gaping - with replays revealing the merest of bobbles on the ball as he made contact. With no advantage gained, no penalty award followed.

As the half wore on it, seemed like that would prove costly and Dubravka denied Wood again before substitute Joselu was unlucky to see a shot hit the inside of the post after Ayoze Perez had done well to play him in.

Possession was continually gifted back to the home side as they pressed for a late equaliser and when Hart was sent forward for two late set pieces, heartbreak for Newcastle seemed inevitable.

In the fourth and final minute of added time, Ritchie was booked after illegally halting Aaron Lennon on the right edge of the box, Vokes thankfully fluffing his lines though and heading over to sum up what had been another inept display by Burnley that singularly failed to stir their own followers.

As ourselves and Stoke have found to their cost, the novelty of a Europa League campaign is soon replaced by genuine concerns over the effect of those additional games on a limited squad and the extra half dozen games including trips to Scotland, Turkey and Greece has left Sean Dyche's side looking jaded - incapable of fully executing an uncomplicated howk it up to twin strikers game plan.

That ineptness allowed Newcastle to make light of the absence of Paul Dummett and successfully field a back three with wing back combo, aided by the efficiency of Ki and increasing effectiveness of Mo Diame - like last season taking an elongated run of games to get his eye in.

Rondon did his bit without any clear sight of goal, while both Perez and Joselu flattered to deceive - the latter adding to the feeling of mild peril in the closing stages by a reluctance to chase lost causes down. Collective spirit though - and a better executed game plan - allowed us to get and stay ahead of another bang average Premier League team, despite missing two glaring chances./

Victory was enough to leapfrog Huddersfield Town and move ahead of Saturday's opponents, West Ham, 13th being their highest position since the draw at Cardiff City in August left them 12th.

And let the record show that we wore black socks...
 
Biffa

This report is dedicated to the late John Delap. RIP.


Page last updated 30 August, 2020