Newcastle United strengthened their Champions League ambitions with a commanding 3-0 victory over Leicester City, who suffered their eighth consecutive Premier League home defeat without scoring – a record in English football league history.
Eddie Howe’s side, still riding high after their League Cup triumph last month, climbed to fifth in the table, level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea but with a game in hand. With England’s strong performances in European competitions this season, fifth place will likely secure Champions League qualification.
Jacob Murphy put Newcastle ahead after just two minutes, tapping in from Tino Livramento’s cross. Murphy doubled the lead shortly after when Fabian Schar’s audacious long-range effort struck the crossbar and fell perfectly for him. Former Leicester player Harvey Barnes added a third before halftime, choosing not to celebrate against his former club.
“I can’t compliment them enough,” Howe told the BBC about his players. “They are a very down to earth, humble group who want to do well and represent the club in the right way.”
The Newcastle manager acknowledged the challenge of maintaining focus after ending the club’s 56-year trophy drought. “The next week for us is a big week. We have three really tough games and that will go a long way in seeing where we are at the end of the season.”
For Leicester, relegation appears inevitable after just one season back in the top flight. The Foxes haven’t scored a league goal at home since December 8 against Brighton. Their performance improved slightly in the second half, with 15-year-old Jeremy Monga making his debut to become the second-youngest Premier League player ever.
Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, who took charge in November, highlighted his team’s psychological struggles: “When there is no pressure anymore it frees people up. When the pressure is on it becomes very difficult.”
The race for Champions League places remains tight, with just six points separating third-placed Nottingham Forest from seventh-placed Aston Villa.
