Watford resurgence continues with thumping win as clouds continue to gather over Newcastle
Newcastle United 0 Watford 3: The visitors have won their last games two times on the trot while the Magpies have failed to pick up a single point from their last four
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Your support makes all the difference.You could not ignore the jeers; they rattled round a rapidly-emptying stadium when a chastening 90 minutes had finished.
Marco Silva left St James’ Park with three goals, three points and another notch on a CV that must impress Everton a bit more with each day that their own crisis deepens.
But it was the disillusionment of the Tyneside public that told you all is not well with the city’s football club.
So much energy has been lost in the midst of Amanda Stanley’s attempted takeover, which saw a first bid refused last week. Of more pressing concern is the actual team, which still lacks the centre forward, number ten and left back that it needed in the summer.
Newcastle have conceded seven goals now in their last two games. The loss of Jamaal Lascelles is important, but the frequency with which Watford were able to gallop through, and the chances missed, is why there is mounting concern.
Watford were very good, and in victory moved up to seventh place, but defensively this did not look like a Benitez side.
They took the lead in the 19th minute, exposing Newcastle’s weakness down the right and when Marvin Zeegelaar pulled back a low cross, Will Hughes, a player Newcastle watched for years, tucked away a tidy first time finish into the bottom corner of Rob Elliot’s goal.
They had control from then on.
A minute later Zeegelaar again crossed from the left and Abdoulaye Doucoure should have scored form close range.
Watford would strike a crucial second in first-half injury-time.
Mo Diame looked to have been tripped by Doucoure as he ran into the Watford half but referee Chris Kavanagh, whose vision was possibly blocked, avoided the call.
Again, the break was quick and incisive but this time carried a huge slick of fortune.
Once more Zeegelaar was afforded a huge amount of space on the Newcastle right. He came inside and his low cross was clipped by DeAndre Yedlin into his own goal.
The game was effectively over then.
When the half-time whistle went, Tyneside jeered its team. This is the backdrop Benitez has not faced before. Little altered after the break. Newcastle pressed and Watford broke with real intent and the home side could not cope. Both full backs, Yedlin and Javier Manquillo had struggled defensively at Old Trafford.
Little altered after the break. Newcastle pressed and Watford broke with real intent and the home side could not cope. Both full backs, Yedlin and Javier Manquillo had struggled defensively at Old Trafford.
Marco Silva, the in demand Watford manager, must have spotted the defensive flaw, and the visitors’ width on the counter attack was something Newcastle could not solve.
Just three minutes of the second half had been played when Andre Gray broke through the flimsiest of offside traps, and for 40 yards he was on his own, bearing down on Rob Elliot.
The third should have come then, but the former Burnley centre forward inexplicably shot wide. There was shock and disappointment on the Watford bench, but it would not prove a significant miss. Three minutes later a slip by Florian Lejeune allowed another opportunity for the third. This time Richardson took too long and his shot was blocked and eventually Ciaran Clark cleared the danger.
Joselu headed wide in a brief moment of respite, then but then Gray headed over and just past the hour mark he secured victory with his side’s third.
Again the goal came down the Newcastle right, Richarlison seemed to have an age and he floated a teasing cross in front of Elliot and at the far post, largely ignored by Manquillo was Gray slid in for the third.
There were chances to help the scoreline for Joselu and then Aleksandar Mitrovic, but Gray and Watford could have had more. The forward went clear again in the 83rd minute but his weak shot was stopped by Elliot.
Newcastle (4-4-2): Elliot; Yedlin, Lejuene, Clark, Manquillo; Ritchie, Diame, Shelvey, Murphy (Perez 77); Joselu, Gayle.
Watford (5-4-1): Gomes; Femenia, Mariappa, Kabasele, Britos (Prodl 52), Zeegelaar; Hughes (Carrillo 84), Cleverley, Douceur, Richarlison (Pereyra 79); Gray.
Ref: Mr Christoper Kavanagh
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