LEICESTER, United Kingdom: Newcastle coasted to a 3-0 win over sorry Leicester on Monday to step up their Champions League charge and condemn the Foxes to an eighth straight Premier League defeat without scoring.
Eddie Howe’s men, still on a high after winning the League Cup last month, are up to fifth in the table, level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea, but with a game in hand.
Fifth place will almost certainly be enough to secure a place in the Champions League next season after strong performances by English clubs in continental competition.
But Ruud van Nistelrooy’s hapless team are heading back down to the Championship after a solitary season in the Premier League.
The visitors were 2-0 up in the 11th minute after two goals from Jacob Murphy, the second a tap-in from close range after an audacious effort from Fabian Schar hit the crossbar, and Harvey Barnes added a third before half-time.
Leicester were brighter in the second half but could not end their goal drought in the league, which stretches back to January.
The opening moments of the contest gave false hope to the long-suffering home fans as Jamie Vardy tested Nick Pope in the visitors’ goal.
Newcastle were ahead in the just second minute after Tino Livramento squared for Murphy to tap home after an attack down the left.
Minutes later time stood still as Schar, spotting goalkeeper Mads Hermansen off his line, nearly scored from his own half.
His effort cannoned off the crossbar but landed at the feet of Murphy, who was the only player to react.
The game was effectively over before half-time when former Leicester player Barnes finished from close range after Hermansen saved from Joelinton, declining to celebrate.
Van Nistelrooy introduced Stephy Mavididi and Facundo Buonanotte for Victor Kristiansen and Patson Daka at the interval and the game was more even in the second period, but Leicester struggled to make an impact.
The home fans cheered the entrance of 15-year-old Jeremy Monga late in the game as he became the second-youngest Premier League player.
Newcastle, whose fortunes have been transformed since a Saudi-funded takeover in 2021, are eyeing another season in the Champions League after exiting at the group stage in the 2023/24 campaign — after two decades away.
Howe, who led Newcastle to their first major trophy in 56 years against Liverpool at Wembley last month, has the chance to add gloss to a historic season.
But it is a tight battle — only six points separate third-placed Nottingham Forest from Aston Villa in seventh spot.
Van Nistelroy arrived at the King Power Stadium in November after a spell as interim manager at Manchester United but results have nosedived after an encouraging start.
The shock 2016 Premier League champions are almost certain to be joined in the second tier by Ipswich, who also came up last season.
Basement club Southampton are the only club whose relegation has been confirmed.
Newcastle step up Champions League chase with Leicester win
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Newcastle step up Champions League chase with Leicester win
- Fifth place will almost certainly be enough to secure a place in the Champions League next season after strong performances by English clubs in continental competition
Mbappe double at Villarreal takes Real Madrid top of La Liga
VILA-REAL, Spain Kylian Mbappe netted twice to earn Real Madrid a 2-0 win at Villarreal on Saturday and take his side to the top of La Liga.
Alvaro Arbeloa’s team moved two points clear of arch-rivals Barcelona, who host bottom-of-the-table Real Oviedo on Sunday.
La Liga’s top scorer Mbappe reached 21 goals for the season in the competition to help Madrid see off a spirited Villarreal side, who are now fourth.
Arbeloa’s side have won three consecutive matches across all competitions and victory at Villarreal could be a vital step in the revival of their season.
After the shock Copa del Rey defeat at second-tier Albacete in Arbeloa’s first match at the helm just 10 days ago after replacing Xabi Alonso, his Madrid have started to take shape.
The coach has made clear how important his star players are and none has been more crucial this season than French superstar Mbappe, who has netted 34 times across all competitions.
Mbappe and Vinicius Junior “are the best players in the world, they are players who can really unbalance teams, we try to get the ball to them as much as possible,” Arbeloa told Real Madrid TV.
“They’re two players who... I’m really happy to have in this state of form and above all, because of the great work they are doing.
“They are really committed to the team, they are the first who are pressing... they’re giving this effort and solidarity that we need from them, so I’m very happy that their reward comes in the form of goals.”
It was a lively but imprecise start at Villarreal’s Estadio de la Ceramica, as the game glowed but neither side was able to seriously threaten.
Georges Mikautadze lashed a volley narrowly wide after veteran forward Gerard Moreno found him with a floating cross.
At the other end, Madrid midfielder Arda Guler fired straight at Villarreal stopper Luiz Junior after some tidy footwork, and then shot high over the bar at the end of a swift break.
Villarreal’s Juan Foyth limped off hurt in a blow for the hosts, who created a good chance for Pape Gueye just before the break.
The Senegal midfielder, a champion at the Africa Cup of Nations last weekend, powered narrowly wide of the post.
Vinicius, who excelled in Madrid’s 6-1 Champions League rout of Monaco in midweek, also came close with a rasping effort that sailed across Luiz Junior’s goal and wide.
The 25-year-old Brazil forward went a 13th straight La Liga match without scoring, but was involved as Mbappe found the net two minutes into the second half.
- ‘Nightmare for defenses’ -
Vinicius came into the box from the left flank and his low cross was blocked but Mbappe was on hand to squeeze home his 20th league goal of the campaign from close range.
“They are a nightmare for defenses,” said Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. “I hope they can keep bringing joy.”
Villarreal had the better of the second half as they worked hard to pull level, but Moreno spurned their best chance by firing inches over when well-placed.
In stoppage time, Mbappe was felled clumsily by Alfonso Pedraza in the box and the French forward cheekily dinked home the resulting penalty to seal Madrid’s victory.
Mbappe’s team-mate Brahim Diaz, who missed a similar attempted Panenka penalty for Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations final, was on the pitch to see it as he returned to action for his club.
“For you,” Mbappe appeared to say to Diaz during the celebration, indicating it was a gesture of support.
“For me, the most important thing is that are united, we saw it last Wednesday with Vinicius’s goal and we saw it again today, with Brahim,” Arbeloa told reporters.
The Yellow Submarine are now 10 points behind leaders Madrid, having played one fewer match than Arbeloa’s side.
“We have to be a bit more accurate in attack against these kinds of teams,” admitted Villarreal midfielder Alberto Moleiro.
Elsewhere, fifth-placed Espanyol fell to a 3-2 defeat at Valencia that left them seven points behind Villarreal.
