Mike Ashley watches on as Leicester down Newcastle

Newcastle 0-2 Leicester: Goals from Jamie Vardy and Harry Maguire gave the Foxes the win

So now the owner of Newcastle United, Mike Ashley, knows what all the fuss and concern is about.

Ashley attended his first game at St James’ Park in 16 months for Newcastle’s ninth defeat in their last 12 Premier League games, against Leicester.

The jeers and catcalls around the stadium were for his reign to end, fuelled further by talk that Peter Kenyon, the former Manchester Untied chief executive, is attempting to put together a consortium to end the Sports Direct owner’s 11 years in charge.

While the backdrop is once more of supporter protests and a potential takeover, the reality becomes more bleak, 18th in the table and with no cutting edge.

Gareth Southgate, the England manager, who was also in the stadium, will have been impressed by the display of James Maddison, from whose corners Leicester created and then scored both their goals.

Maddison cost the visitors £20 million in the summer, which is more than Newcastle have ever spent on a player. Jonjo Shelvey showed flashes of his passing ability, but it was Harry Maguire and his presence at corners, something Southgate knows only too well, that ultimately proved the difference between the sides, one leading to a penalty for Jamie Vardy in the first half and then the big central defender heading one home on his own with just over quarter of an hour remaning.

There had been early warnings of Leicester’s attacking threat. Kelechi Iheanacho had been allowed to shoot from 25 yards, an effort stopped by Martin Dubravka and from a James Maddison corner Wilfred Ndidi sent his free header over the crossbar.

Vardy opened the scoring (Getty)

Newcastle were left to rue two fine, missed opportunities, and give their lack of potency this season, they were chances they could not afford to spurn.

Just 18 minutes had gone when Ayoze Perez sent Joselu clear through on the Newcastle left. The Spanish striker had the time to lien up a shot with his weaker, left foot, but inserted he delayed and delayed and finally Harry Maguire came sliding into clear the ball for a corner.

Four minutes later a sweeping Newcastle move ended with Christian Atsu crossing from the left and Mo Diame, arriving late, glanced his header wide of the far post.

Crucially neither chance caused Kasper Schmeichel to make a save, and that would not arrive until the 37th minute, when Jonjo Shelvey, who had robbed the ball off James Maddison, shot ambitiously from 60 yards.

Maguire doubled the lead (Getty Images)

By then Leicester had their lead.

Three times in two minutes James Maddison fired in dangerous corners, from either side of the St James’ Park, that the home defence struggled to deal with.

From the first, Harry Maguire was afforded a free, downward header that the overworked Martin Dubravka finger tipped over the crossbar, Vardy then flashed a header across the face of the Newcastle goal, until finally there pressure paid off, when Maguire’s shot was blocked by the arm of DeAndre Yedlin as he attempt to block the effort.

Simon Hooper immediately pointed to the spot, and from 12 yards, Vardy stroked his right footed penalty to the right of Dubravka, who had dived the right way.

Ashley watched on from the stands (REUTERS) (Reuters)

Newcastle appealed for a penalty themselves in the 49th minute, when Maguire wrestled Ayoze Perez to the ground in the Leicester penalty area. Hooper ignored the appeals.

There was no denying Newcastle’s effort, but guile and an attacking presence, with Salomon Rondon injured, and with Leicester right, and Maguire charged in to head past Dubravka.

Jacob Murphy shot for goal late on but it was wide of the mark, as is much at Newcastle United right now.