Swansea 2 Newcastle 0: ‘Uncaged’ Jefferson Montero had freedom to outrun Magpies
Swansea 2 Newcastle 0
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Your support makes all the difference.Neil Taylor admits he is glad his team-mate Jefferson Montero is kept in check during training at Swansea before being unleashed on anxious Premier League defences.
Ecuador international Montero hinted at the damage his pace and trickery could do during an injury-hit first season in south Wales, but has illuminated the early stages of this Premier League season.
Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic was run ragged on the opening day and Newcastle’s Daryl Janmaat only lasted 41 minutes on Saturday, getting sent off following a series of crude fouls as he struggled to contain the former Betis and Villarreal winger.
By the time the Dutchman was sent off, Swansea already led thanks to Bafétimbi Gomis rounding Tim Krul from Jonjo Shelvey’s pass for a seventh goal in his last eight appearances.
Montero and Gylfi Sigurdsson hit the woodwork after Janmaat’s red card, but the former had the last word as he raced away from Chancel Mbemba to set up André Ayew to give Swansea a 2-0 win.
Taylor said: “I don’t have any sympathy for anyone marking Jeff because I have to go up against him in training. But we don’t play in a particularly big space as we play small-sided games, it’s easier to cope with him.
“So come Saturday he feels like he’s being let out of a cage, with all that extra space he suddenly has. He is a very laid-back fellow and doesn’t move or say much in the changing room until about a minute before kick-off and then he’s up and off sprinting at 100mph. That’s Jeff.”
For Newcastle’s manager, Steve McClaren, this was a sobering first defeat in charge, with another petulant cameo from Aleksandar Mitrovic, who picked up a second booking in two outings for an ugly challenge on Taylor.
“It’s only two games. The nature of the game is changing, but he has to adapt and keep his emotions under control,” McClaren said.
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