REPORT: 9-man Newcastle holds off Southampton

Southampton was unable to break down 9-man Newcastle in what was a wild 3-2 Premier League defeat to Newcastle on Saturday.

Jeff Hendrick saw his second yellow leaving Newcastle to fend for the final 40 minutes with 10 men before Fabian Schar was stretchered off for the remaining 10.

Steve Bruce was forced into a pair of early first half changes and made his last on 67 minutes, leaving him without an option to use off the bench when Schar departed.

Joseph Willock and Miguel Almiron gave Newcastle an early 2-0 lead after just 26 minutes, but Southampton debutanteTakumi Minamino pulled one back four minutes later.

Almiron restored Newcastle’s two goal advantage at 3-1 when his shot deflected off Jan Bednarek and into the Saints goal.

James Ward-Prowse brought Saints within 3-2 with a sublime free kick from the left edge of the box on 48 minutes.

Saints, however, would not find an equaliser to slump to a fifth straight league defeat, going winless since the triumph over Liverpool.

Yeah, not much needs to be said here.

Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): Darlow; Lewis, Schar, Hayden, Manquillo (Krafth 24); Shelvey, Hendrick; Saint-Maximin (Dummett 67), Almiron, Willock; Wilson (Joelinton 36)

Unused subs: Dubravka (GK), Carroll, Ritchie, Fraser, Gayle, Anderson

Goals: Willock (16), Almiron (26, 45+4)

Bookings: Hendrick (11, 50), Krafth (45+3), Darlow (95+6)

Southampton (4-4-2): McCarthy; Bertrand, Vestergaard, Bednarek, Stephens (N’Lundulu 81); Minamino, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Redmond; Ings, Adams

Unused subs: Forster (GK), Djenepo, Tella, Ramsay, Salisu, Watts, Chauke, Finnigan

Goals: Minamino (30), Ward-Prowse (48)

Bookings: Bednarek (50)