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Ipswich Town 0-4 Newcastle United - Match Report Saturday, 21st Dec 2024 17:09
Alexander Isak hit a hat-trick and Jacob Murphy the other as Newcastle United beat the Blues 4-0 to inflict Town’s heaviest home defeat under Kieran McKenna. The Swedish international put the visitors in front in the opening 25 seconds, VAR overruling an offside against Murphy in the build-up, before the former England U21 international made in 2-0 on 32, then Isak added his second and Newcastle’s third in first-half injury time and completed his hat-trick nine minutes after the restart.
Aside from the return of Sammie Szmodics, who missed the 2-1 win at Wolves last week as he was ill, for suspended number nine Liam Delap, it was the same side which lined up at Molineux. On the bench, Jacob Greaves came in for Luke Woolfenden.
Newcastle also made one change from the team which beat Leicester 4-0 last week and Brentford 3-1 in the Carabao Cup, both at St James’ Park, with midfielder Joelinton suspended. Joe Willock started in the Brazilian’s place.
The visitors had the ball in the net inside the first 25 seconds via the game’s first attack Murphy was sent away down the right and the former Norwich man’s cross was cut out by Morsy but only as far as Isak, who slammed home as he broke into the area.
Assistant referee Natalie Aspinall immediately raised her flag with Murphy having appeared well offside.
However, after a lengthy VAR check for the offside and also a potential handball, it was ruled that Cameron Burgess had played Murphy onside and the goal - the Magpies’ fastest ever away in the Premier League - stood, much to the frustration of the Town players - who had clearly been anticipating a flag before it came - and the delight of the away fans in the Cobbold Stand.
Having got their noses in front and with rain now falling heavily, the Magpies put the Blues under further pressure, Sandro Tonali shooting not too far over from just outside the area in the 10th minute.
But Szmodics had already made some impact on the left, then on 12 Omari Hutchinson struck an effort against a defender on the edge of the box, before Leif Davis, born in Newcastle and Magpies fan growing up, sent the ball back in from the left and Lewis Hall and Conor Chaplin clashed heads.
Newcastle should have gone two in front in the 14th minute when Murphy, who had had free rein down the right in the opening minutes, stood up a cross towards the far post but Anthony Gordon headed down into the ground and over the bar. It was a fortunate escape for the Blues.
Town started to see more of the ball and in the 20th minute Jens Cajuste turned away from Tino Livramento and took it on into the left of the area before shooting not too far over.
Moments later, Chaplin cleverly played Szmodics in on goal but keeper Martin Dubravka was quickly off his line to block.
The Blues kept the visitors pinned in their half for the next few minutes but without threatening Dubravka’s goal further.
On 23, Newcastle broke away after Town had lost possession but Morsy threw himself in to block as Murphy looked to shoot having been fed by skipper Bruno Guimaraes.
With the rain now falling even more heavily, the Magpies had another big opportunity in the 25th minute, Murphy finding Isak on the left of the area but the Swedish international striker tamely lifted the ball into Aro Muric’s arms when he will feel he should have been celebrating his and his side’s second goal of the afternoon.
But seven minutes later, the visitors were two goals in front. Gordon was found on the left of the box and was forced inside as he looked for space to shoot. Having been unable to get in an effort himself, he moved it on to Murphy on the right of the area and the wideman slammed past Muric and into the net off the underside of the bar.
As the game approached the 35-minute mark, Chaplin underwent treatment and the rest of the Town team went to the sidelines for instruction from manager Kieran McKenna and his staff with the Northern Irishman having his work cut out to get his team back into the match at this stage.
In the 42nd minute, Newcastle again broke quickly having gained possession on halfway and Isak curled a shot towards Muric’s left corner but the keeper was able to get across to save and claim at the second attempt.
As the half moved into four additional minutes, Szmodics, who scored against Newcastle for Blackburn in the FA Cup last season, picked up a pass from Cajuste and broke into the area on the left but shot over.
Seconds later, it was 3-0, the Magpies profiting from Town making a mess of playing it out from the back. Morsy passed back to Muric, who played it forward to Cajuste, who was dispossessed around 10 yards from his own goal by Guimaraes, who fed Isak, who won’t have an easy opportunity to score in his career, beating Muric to his left.
There was still time for Newcastle to have another chance before the break, Gordon sliding in and diverting the ball wide at the left post from a looping cross.
At the whistle, there were muted boos after the Blues’ worst defensive half of the season so far against perhaps the sharpest attack.
The offside decision on the first goal looked very, very tight, indeed most anticipated the assistant’s flag being upheld by VAR. However, the ball really ought to have been cleared from there by Morsy.
Town had had a spell where they had kept possession and created a couple of chances at 1-0, they had never really looked like causing the visitors’ defence too many problems.
But Newcastle had looked like scoring every time they attacked and probably should have added to their goals before they scored their second, while the third was a gift.
With the game already lost barring a miracle, Town made a change ahead of the second half, Ali Al-Hamadi replacing Hutchinson, who had had a very quiet half, with Szmodics moving to the left having given the Newcastle centre-halves little trouble in the first period.
Five minutes after the restart, the Iraqi international briefly found himself played in in space on the right of the area but turned into traffic and eventually his shot was blocked.
Newcastle went close to a fourth in the 52nd minute, Hall crossing from the left and Guimaraes stooping to head but diverting the ball the wrong side of the post.
But two minutes later, it was 4-0 as Isak completed his first Magpies hat-trick. Newcastle built from the back before Burgess’s interception reached Murphy, who twisted and turned his way into the right of the box before deftly back-heeling a pass to Isak, who took a touch before stabbing into the corner of the net and celebrating with the away fans in the opposite corner.
The Magpies, who were in complete control, went looking for a fifth and on 57 Willock went round outside of Clarke on the left and into the area but shot over, requiring treatment having done so.
Town made a double change in the 62nd minute, Jack Taylor and Kalvin Phillips, making his first appearance since the Leicester game at the start of November, taking over from Chaplin and Cajuste.
A minute later, Gordon was found in space on the left, took the ball on but his shot was too close to Muric.
Town were next to threaten, Wes Burns taking the ball on on the right before hitting a cross-shot which flew beyond his teammates and past Dubrava’s post with the keeper unruffled.
Newcastle made a triple change in the 63rd minute, Sean Longstaff, Kieran Trippier and Harvey Barnes replacing Murphy, who despite Isak’s hat-trick had been the visitors’ outstanding player, Livramento and Willock.
On 65, there was further misery for the Blues with skipper Morsy picking up his fifth booking of the season for a shove in the back of Guimaraes, a challenge which didn’t look particularly worthy of a card in itself. Morsy, who had gone nine games without a yellow card, now misses the trip to Arsenal on Friday.
Sub Barnes volleyed well over following a corner on 67 as the Magpies continued to take the game to Town and look for further goals. On 73, Miguel Almiron took over from hat-trick hero Isak, who had taken his season’s tally to 11 and his Premier League total for 2024 to 23.
With 13 minutes left on the clock, with Blue Action keeping singing away in the corner of the Cobbold Stand, Al-Hamadi was booked for a frustrated foul on Guimaraes, another of the Magpies’ impressive performers.
Town switched Burns and Szmodics for Ben Johnson and Nathan Broadhead in the 78th minute, the Wales international forcing a save from Dubravka almost immediately, hitting a low shot to the keeper’s left that the Slovak international palmed away. Two minutes later, Guimaraes was swapped for Lewis Miley.
Newcastle played out the rest of the game in comfort, prodding and probing for a fifth but without the intensity of earlier in the match, while Broadhead added some direct running for the Blues but without creating an opportunity from which Town might have pulled a goal back.
In the third minute of injury time, Dan Burn tapped the ball home from close range having been found by Longstaff after the Blues had failed to clear a Barnes cut-back from the right. The assistant flagged and on this occasion VAR upheld the decision.
That was the last action of a game comprehensively won by the visitors with the result never really in question once VAR had overturned the offside in the build-up to the first goal.
A chastening afternoon for Town, who have only previously been beaten 4-0 under McKenna once, at Leeds a year ago on Monday. The Blues have been competitive in most of their games since promotion, but were never completely able to handle the pace of Murphy, Isak and Gordon whenever Newcastle regained possession and could have been more than three goals behind at the break.
The second half was the predictable period with a side already three-up at the break, the visitors, who are up to seventh, netting once more through Isak, while the Blues huffed and puffed but never showed any sign of getting back into the game.
Despite that, McKenna and his men were applauded by their support as they made their way round the pitch at the whistle.
Coincidentally, Isak’s hat-trick is the first by an opposition player since Kevin Nolan netted three in another 4-0 Newcastle victory over the Blues, then managed by Roy Keane, in September 2009.
Town, who remain 18th having missed a chance to climb out of the bottom three with Leicester hosting Wolves on Sunday, now have two more tough games before 2024 draws to a close, at Arsenal two days after Christmas and then Chelsea at Portman Road, where the Blues are now without a win in nine, on December 30th.
We have come a long way in 3 seasons, but it's evident the squad is not up to the standard required. KM has been superb, but this season he too has been found wanting. If we don't get relegated, I will be amazed, we look way out of our depth in all areas, especially the goalie!
Bazza "Walton coudlnt get in our championship side because of his distribution, so what people think hes gonna do at this level baffles me".
Walton won the golden glove in 2022/23 and was my personal player of the season but Conor Chaplin received the award for his 29 goals.
Walton would have played in the 2023/24 Championship season but was injured before the first game of that season so Hladky was selected. Hladky played so well that season that it was impossible for him to be dropped.
Contrast that with Muric who constantly costs us points every game this season. Walton should be given a chance. BRING BACK WALTON. WE WANT WALTON.
I’m a little confused how people are saying you can’t blame Muric. If anyone of us were in goal 2-0 down with a couple of minutes to go until half time the ball would have gone long. Walton and Slicker must be sitting on the bench thinking what have they got to do to get a chance. We have had some good and terrible keepers in the past and at the minute and I feel like he needs to be dropped not necessarily to be replaced but to give him a kick up the a*** if it were any other player under performing you get dropped.
Newcastle were very good the best side at portman road so far! it gets worse though because we will see a better side in Chelsea, just hope we are better than todays showing! everything today was off we lost all control and our identity as we chased shadows! And as for launching all those high balls up the pitch for Sammy, ridiculous tactics! We play less long hopeful balls when we have a chance with Delap.
Really cant see why Km rates Muric, great shop stopper with reaction saves, but the problem is when he has time to think, terrible decision making!
what a difference a week makes, the highs and lows of football, that said last weeks win only papered over the cracks!
Today was a real sickener, not because we lost but just how far we were off the required level, we had too many league 1/championship players on the pitch today and it showed!
I get it that some on here have grave doubts about Muric but is Walton any better ? Cajuste did not receive the ball cleanly hence their third. Yes he could have booted it but who to ? We had nobody up front to receive any long ball. Strange how people get obsessive about their personal opinions to the point where they become irrational. Just for good measure, I too am nervous when Muric has the ball but today the BBC gave Muric the best score of any of our players. Just saying in the interests of balance.
So who do we call out over Muric's mistakes, McKenna for picking him and telling him to play that way or Ashton for appointing a recruitment team who have bought Championship players (apart from Delap)? Take your pick. The idea we got promoted too early doesn't make sense, would we have bought Premier League players in the seasons before getting promoted? No. The gulf between the Prem and the Championship is so big you can't prepare for it before it happens. We haven't been able to make the transition, emulating the likes of Brentford, Brighton, Bournemouth and Fulham, who carries that can? Getting beat 4-0 at home is pretty humiliating, we could go through the whole team and find reasons why they aren't good enough, there was no spark today and certainly no positives for the coach. Goodness knows what Arsenal will do to us.
It's getting ridiculous to keep blaming Muric on here, one mistake and the whole game his fault, its pathetic! Its no wonder his confidence low, supposed to be supporters.
It's pathetic that Wolves and Southampton sacked managers, who will do better, no continuity or point and those doubting KMcK are just ridiculous. Leicester lost 4-0 last week to them. They are a brilliant, fully established prem team with superstar players.
This Walton back rubbish is unfathomable in idea, if a change in keeper is touted Slicker be first choice but Muric was in team of week last week, you never blame your favourites. Harry Clarke, Morsy, Burns etc not good enough, we were going to get beat from start today with such a weak right hand side.
Palace got thrashed also, scores are different every week.
Just support the team and trust in out manager and team and Mr Ashton.
It's a journey back to being established and we have no right to be where we are so be grateful.
Same people every week who I can only think support Norwich or certainly don't appreciate our team.
Newsflash we have Arsenal and Chelsea next with odds against us so do you just want to blame our keeper now or support him, the ball has to be moved towards his goal first which are players are supposed to prevent, how do you think Clark and Burns gonna be against Palmer, Sanchez, Jesus, Havertz and Co?
Merry Christmas and Muric if you read this take no notice of the haters you have a tough job this season and the majority of fans are right behind you.
By selecting Muric for every game I can only assume that McKenna doesn't care if we win or lose and that he doesn't care if we get relegated this season. Why can he not see that Muric is useless and will get us relegated.
Going to be an interesting January window. Do we invest heavily to survive ( maybe ) or keep hoping we can scrape by ( unlikely ). Big decisions to be made behind the scenes.
That was a terrible performance from start to finish. We looked poorer in every department except (maybe) quality of throw ins.
A few injuries/suspensions and we look a very different team. Ogbene used to be an important outlet for us. He's gone. No Hirst or Delap so lacked any physical presence up front. Feel we look much better at the back when Tuanzebe played.
Probably need 3 signings in Jan if we are going to make an attempt to stay in this division. Need a striker. Need a winger/midfielder (to replace Ogbene). And need a really big powerhouse in the centre to partner Morsy (and when I mean powerhouse I mean someone like Gattuso Mark 2). Morsy looks like he's utterly overworked.
I'm happy with how our team and club has moved forwards so effectively in the last 3 years. It's been brilliant. But that was woeful and we can expect more of the same unless we make big changes.
Ok it was a bad day at the office but some of the comments on here are simply unreal. Newcastles wage bill is at almost £100 mill pa almost exactly three times ours at £33mill.
Our £33mill is the lowest budget in the prem by some margin. The next two are Brentford £41.5 mill and Wolves £53 mill!
For us to finish anywhere other than 20th will be quite an achievement for all concerned.
Facts however will not deter the entitled and the boo boys.
True supporters should appreciate the progress that has been made and (relegation or not) the platform that is being built.
Its not going well thats for sure BUT many on here were predicting all sorts of unreal things this season, ie top 6 Europe, They were carried away with the past two seasons .Survival was the relistic aim and that was always going to be hard ,as it is proving to be.Its no time to start slagging players or manager off imo We are fighting a small group of clubs at the bottom and at present we are still in it.
The chance of us salvaging anything came from muric,just before half time.you cannot expect any player to have got rid of the ball,thumping it to him so close.cajuste was not at fault for a ball which the goalkeeper ,should have belted away.3-0 ,game over. I am perplexed and astonished how kieran McKenna,didn't put broad head in delaps place,and have smodcks feeding him the ball. Newcastle were in tiptop form,outrunning us,and by halftime, 3-0 down,there really was no way back. Music,is not good enough,panicks in goal against Bournemouth, constantly kicking the wrong way.only comes out of goal ,when panicking. Also was to blame for wolves goal.you should never be beaten at near post.first rule of goalkeeping. I fear kieran will cut off his nose,to spite his face,to keep music in goal.and with the mistakes constantly happening,how much deeper into relegation will kieran go,before putting Walton in goal,proven in the premier league with Brighton
Hard running and bags of heart will only get the team so far. Sadly it appears that our players are just not good enough.Include the undropable Muric and the "authorities" secret agenda and we are up against it.Perhaps the club can pull a rabbit out of the hat with about half a dozen Premier quality reinforsements in January.
Muric - if KMc wants him to try and be the next Ederson, it’s not going to happen. No excuses, he’s not good enough to play that way, which is worrying becausel l assume we bought him to do just that. Things improved attacking wise when AAH came on, physical presence/chasing down, couple of chances etc. highlights how we missed Delap. They were cutting through us to easily in midfield, although Morsy and Cajutes put in a shift.Maybe we need to think about 4-3-3 or 3-4-3. Not overly confident about the January window, but keep the faith!
Firstly, Walton should never have been dropped after the Liverpool game. He had a good game.
Secondly, after dropping Walton (shameful) McKenna picked Muric for the next game against Man City and he gave them 2 goals. This should have then been nipped in the bud and he should have been dropped and Walton reinstated but alas he has picked him for every game since like McKenna wants to lose every game because no matter how many errors Muric makes giving away goals he is undroppable.
When will McKenna learn that no mater how hard you try, you can not polish a turd.
I feel now that McKenna has turned the majority of fans against Muric because of his stubbornness in picking him as our No.1.
Our squad just isn't good enough all our league 1 players not up to prem need a few transfer windows to sort that out just need to stay in touch and hopefully make a few good signings in January
Some of our fan base need to take a step back and calm down. If you didn't expect days like this you were hugely naive. We were poor today , no tempo, lack of ideas and too many not performing, but that's the first time we've been outclassed and by a good Newcastle side who in Gordon and Isak have two players who cost more than our whole squad . Remember where we've come from and how quick and get behind the team .
robson wark We get it you want Muric out. What if Walton fails to make every thing perfect?????? Muric is not the only making terrible decisions on the field he just stands out because he's at the end of all the other mistakes. it's a TEAM game and we just are not good enough for this league at this stage.
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