MX23RW : Sunday, December 15 18:22:28| >> :120:70507:70507:
[monks data]
Newcastle logo
Premier League | Gameweek 23
Feb 6, 2021 at 3pm UK
St James' Park
Southampton logo

Newcastle
3 - 2
Southampton

Willock (16'), Almiron (26', 45+4')
Hendrick (11'), Krafth (45+3')
Hendrick (50')
FT(HT: 3-1)
Minamino (30'), Ward-Prowse (48')
Bednarek (73')

Steve Bruce jokes about Newcastle job being a "health hazard" after Saints win

Steve Bruce jokes about Newcastle job being a
© Reuters
The Saints could not find a way back into the game despite a late onslaught.

Newcastle head coach Steve Bruce admitted his job came with a health warning after watching his nine men hang on to beat Southampton.

The 60-year-old, who has been under intense pressure after a run of 13 games in all competitions with just one win, saw the Magpies scrap their way to a 3-2 victory despite losing midfielder Jeff Hendrick to a red card and defender Fabian Schar to injury with all three substitutes having been used.

Asked about his emotions during an eventful afternoon, Bruce said: "A mate of mine said when I took the job that it came with a health hazard.

"The two minutes just after half-time summed it up, where we could have gone 4-1 up and looked very, very rosy indeed. Instead within a minute, it's 3-2 and we're down to 10 men. The last half an hour is awful, to be brutally honest.

"It's not often you can hang on with 10 men for half an hour, let alone 25 minutes with nine men. The resilience of the team and the effort and the commitment of them was terrific."

Newcastle looked to be cruising with 26 minutes gone when, after debutant Joe Willock's 16th-minute opener, defender Jan Bednarek, playing after a successful appeal against his red card at Manchester United in midweek, turned Miguel Almiron's shot into his own net.

Takumi Minamino marked his first appearance for the Saints with a goal four minutes later, but Almiron sent the Magpies in at the break 3-1 ahead after cashing in on a mix-up between goalkeeper Alex McCarthy and Ryan Bertrand.

However, the real drama was to come in the second half, when James Ward-Prowse reduced the deficit with a sumptuous free-kick before Hendrick was sent off, before Schar was carried off on a stretcher 15 minutes from time.

But the hosts managed to hang on to claim a morale-boosting win, although at some cost with leading scorer Callum Wilson and full-back Javier Manquillo also having been added to the casualty list.

Bruce said: "We're taking one step forward, it seems, and always two back. You can understand why managers were complaining because we were simply playing too much in December and January and most clubs are falling to pieces with it."

Saints counterpart Ralph Hasenhuttl had hoped for a response to Tuesday night's 9-0 mauling at Manchester United, a game his side finished with only nine men, but was less than impressed after witnessing a fifth successive league defeat.

Hasenhuttl said: "It's easy to sum up: defensively not good enough for the Premier League, again. The way we conceded the goals in the first half was far too easy and then it's always tough to come back.

"We tried everything in the second half, but also with not always the best tools and this is the reason why we in the end lose a game that you never have to lose, normally.

"Maybe we were a little bit under the shock from last Tuesday, but (I) cannot accept it because the team seemed motivated at the beginning, everybody wanted to show up there and that's the reason why I am not happy."

ID:434117: cacheID:434117:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5454:
Written by
P A
No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Marcus Rashford celebrates scoring for Manchester United against Southampton in the Premier League on February 2, 2021
Read Next:
Saturday's Premier League predictions including Manchester United vs. Everton
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
6pm
Chiefs
@
Browns
6pm
Ravens
@
Giants
6pm
Jets
@
Jags
6pm
Cowboys
@
Panthers
6pm
Washington
@
Saints
6pm
Dolphins
@
Texans
6pm
Bengals
@
Titans
9.25pm
Colts
@
Broncos
9.25pm
Patriots
@
Cardinals
9.25pm
Buccaneers
@
Chargers
9.25pm
Steelers
@
Eagles
9.25pm
Bills
@
Lions
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool15113131131836
2Chelsea1594235181731
3Arsenal1686229151430
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest168442119228
5Manchester CityMan City158342721627
6Aston Villa167452425-125
7Bournemouth157352320324
8Fulham166642422224
9Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton166642625124
10Brentford157263128323
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle166552321223
12Tottenham HotspurSpurs1562731191220
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd155461918119
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham155372028-818
15Crystal Palace163761721-416
16Everton153661421-715
17Leicester CityLeicester163582134-1314
18Ipswich TownIpswich162681628-1212
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1623112440-169
20Southampton1512121131-205


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!