Newcastle 0 City 3
Report by Kate Thompson
I’m not normally a pessimist but my hopes were not high on a trip to a ground where we have not apparently won for 15 years, and last season saw arguably one of our poorest performances against a Newcastle side who couldn’t win for toffee. But I should have known that this team is made of sterner stuff!
For most of the first half we were clearly in the ascendancy but with nothing to show for it, and as the half drew towards its end there was always the fear that Newcastle would nick a goal and we would have no answer. The only change to the team was Ulloa in for Schlupp; Vardy recovered sufficiently from the knock that kept him out of the England games although he didn’t look 100% fit.
But still, a Vardy operating at a slower pace is still a match for many defenders and so it proved. In the time added on at the end of the first half, Ulloa slid a lovely ball into him and he left the sole defending player for dead and coolly slotted his tenth consecutive goal, thus equalling the record set by Van Nistelrooy 12 years ago.
Vardy later paid tribute to the physiotherapists who had worked so hard to get him fit. And fair play to the Newcastle fans, who applauded Vardy’s feat before booing off their team at half time.
The goal settled the team down and they played some lovely football. Newcastle were very poor and apparently only had one shot on goal. The stats gave them more than 50% possession, which seems incredible but also demonstrated what a meaningless statistic that is.
The second goal came in the 62nd minute: Mahrez was given all the time on the ball he wanted, it seems, and when he put over a peach of a cross Ulloa was unchallenged on the edge of the box and scored with a bullet header.
The third was much scruffier and to the City fans camped in the opposite end somewhat baffling. Elliott, the Newcastle goalkeeper, put the ball down as if he was going to clear it until we saw the City players celebrating and realised we had scored again – this in the 83rd minute by Okazaki who had replaced Ulloa some ten minutes earlier. Watching it on ‘Match of the day’, the ball bobbled around until Okazaki stabbed it over the line; it was well over so no need for goal-line technology, and the Newcastle keeper was being very unsporting – but then he had had a torrid time of it!
It is difficult to assess the Leicester performance because Newcastle were so toothless, but they kept their second clean sheet of the season and the goal difference is starting to look a bit more respectable. Schmeichel was largely a bystander, just having to deal with the odd tricky catch. Incidentally, it was nice to see him on ‘Match of the day 2’ on Sunday night.
As for the outfield players, most of them continued their rich vein of form, especially Vardy, Mahrez, Drinkwater and Kante. Simpson (the surprise of the season for me) and Fuchs ably supported the centre back pairing of Morgan and Huth, although the latter picked up another yellow card.
Albrighton had a quiet game although he provided the assist for the last goal. Ulloa worked hard and his pass for Vardy’s goal, and his own goal, were rewards for his endeavours. King replaced Vardy in the 77th minute and Dyer came on for Mahrez in the 88th.
The icing on the cake was to learn that we had gone to the top of the table, as Arsenal had lost at West Brom and driving home we learnt that Manchester City has been outplayed at home by Liverpool. So after 13 games – a third of the season – we have 28 points and have only lost once. It just gets better and better and it was great to be there to witness history being made. Now make it 11 on Saturday Jamie!
Newcastle: Elliot, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Dummett, Sissoko, Anita, Tiote (Thauvin 20), Wijnaldum, Mitrovic (Cisse 62), Perez (De Jong 81). Subs not used: Gouffran, Lascelles, Woodman, Sterry
Leicester: Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs, Mahrez (Dyer 89), Kante, Drinkwater, Albrighton, Ulloa (Okazaki 73), Vardy (King 77). Subs not used: De Laet, Schlupp, Schwarzer, Inler
Attendance: 50,151 Referee: Mike Jones
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation