That’s all from me. Thanks for reading and for your emails. Congratulations to Newcastle. Until next time!
Ben Fisher's match report from the King Power Stadium
Newcastle’s Jacob Murphy, the player of the match, speaks to the cameras. He seems like a lovely man.
We knew that if we had a quick start and get an early goal that their fans could turn on them.
[For my second goal] I don’t know why I followed it in but I did. The ball came back so quickly. I was thinking ‘do I take it first time or do I take a touch?’ Only took me about seven touches to get it under and stick it in.
Champions League is hugely important for us. We had a taste last season. We have eight games to go now, no other distractions. One game can change it all. We have to keep the pressure on.
It’s interesting that the stock of both Russell Martin (formerly of Southampton) and Steve Cooper (formerly of Leicester) seems to grow with each passing week. Both Saints and the Foxes were considerably better at the start of the season under those managers, both in terms of performance and results.
It will be interesting to see if Leicester persevere with Van Nistelrooy. Another unchanged starting XI, another miserable performance. Yes, the players are lacking in confidence and quality, but it is Van Nistelrooy’s job to make them hard to beat tactically, and I have rarely seen a poorer first-half home performance than Leicester’s ‘effort’ this evening.
Southampton waited for their relegation to be confirmed before sacking Ivan Juric. Leicester’s recent form is one of the worst runs in the history of the division. They can’t get any worse. But maybe Leicester’s board think that Van Nistelrooy will come good in the Championship after a summer refresh, because their survival bid is now surely over.
Full-time: Leicester City 0-3 Newcastle United
Newcastle are up to fifth with that victory!
Updated
90+5 min: Newcastle really knocking on the door for a fourth! Krafth flashes a lovely cross across Leicester’s six-yard box, before Newcastle recycle the ball for Tonali, who shoots wide.
90+3 min: So nearly a second for Barnes and a fourth for Newcastle! Wilson and Barnes exchange passes, the latter getting on the end of a deflected cross, but the winger can’t quite steer his finish past Hermansen.
90+1 min: Leicester nearly score! Faes meets a corner at the near post, glancing his header just wide of Pope’s far post! That’s easily the closest that the Foxes have come!
90 min: Five minutes added on.
89 min: Barnes, now playing on the right for Newcastle with Osula on the left, skips around Thomas easily and dribbles to the byline. But the Newcastle winger’s cross is blocked and Leicester clear.
87 min: Newcastle make another change: Krafth for Trippier.
85 min: Jamie Vardy, who I’ve just seen was born Jamie Richard Gill, is out of contract this summer. Will the 38-year-old sign an extension for one final season in the Championship?
83 min: Tonali is fine, Newcastle fans will be pleased to know.
81 min: Mavididi catches Tonali on the ankle with a tackle, which is not deemed a foul. But the Italian is in some obvious discomfort and there are some nervy glances in the Newcastle dugout. They could do without losing their Italian midfield powerhouse to injury.
79 min: Leicester, in fairness, are giving this a go. They might be bereft of confidence but there’s plenty of endeavour and a few glimpses of quality. Pereira goes on an adventure from right back, skipping past two or three tackles before releasing Mavididi, but Newcastle get back in their shape. The visitors have not played particularly well this second half, but they have retained their defensive discipline. It’s boring, but that’s the kind of thing that Howe will be delighted with.
76 min: Monga is so young that he can’t have Leicester’s shirt sponsor (a gambling company) on his own shirt, because at 15, he is not old enough to place a bet.
74 min: More changes from both sides.
Newcastle go first. Alexander Isak and Jacob Murphy come off for Callum Wilson and William Osula.
Now Leicester, and there is the biggest cheer of the night from the home fans as 15-year-old (and 271 days) Jeremy Monga comes on to become the second youngest ever player in the Premier League (after Ethan Nwaneri). Ricardo Pereira is also on, James Justin and Bilal El Khannouss off.
Updated
71 min: “Re Darren’s email, we actually have two songs for Murphy,” replies Michael Owens in Newcastle. ‘There’s only two Jacob Murphys’
“And to the tune of Lady Gaga’s Paparazzi: ‘I’m your biggest fan, your mam is from the streets of Birtley, Jacob Jacob Murphy’.
69 min: “It’s usually said that a team didn’t get out of second gear,” emails Newcastle fan Matthew Guite. “I think we’re stuck in first but still 3-0 up”.
This has been a very pedestrian second half from both sides. Which suits Newcastle just fine.
67 min: A dreadful error from Hermansen as he tries to play out from the back. Instead Leicester keeper passes directly to Miley. Newcastle’s move breaks down, but Schar tries his luck from range, stinging Hermansen’s palms from 30 yards out.
64 min: A double Newcastle change in midfield: Joelinton and Guimaraes off for Miley and Longstaff. Two straight swaps. Very sensible, I’m just surprised that Isak also hasn’t been withdrawn for Wilson or Osula.
62 min: Trippier whips an excellent cross to the far post for Newcastle before Justin wins an excellent header, beating the onrushing Barnes to the ball. Good defending.
60 min: Livramento has such a funny running style. He is both on his toes and hunched over, like a Despicable Me character. But he’s very quick, and very good at football. So there’s that.
58 min: In the meantime, Leicester win a corner. Mavididi hasn’t had a lot of service on the left wing, but he has at least ran around, off the ball, with an urgency and energy that has been sorely lacking for Leicester.
56 min: Movement on the Newcastle bench. It does look like Howe is going to make some early-ish subs, as Newcastle look to keep things fresh for Sunday’s game against Manchester United.
54 min: Some concern for Guimaraes (and Eddie Howe) after the Brazilian is caught in the face with a stray arm/elbow. But Newcastle’s No 39 is going to be OK to continue.
52 min: “Murphy must be the most underrated player in the Premier League,” writes Darren. “He even admitted he was gutted the fans didn’t have a song for him.”
I think he’s now famously underrated, which means that he’s not really underrated at all. In the ilk of Darren Fletcher, Danny Murphy, James Milner, Didi Hamann.
We did this piece on him in January.
Since 7 December, only Mo Salah and Isak have contributed more goals/assists in the Premier League than Murphy (seven goals, seven assists in that time).
Updated
50 min: It is now 12 hours exactly since Leicester last scored. In that time they have had 52 shots and had an xG of 2.81, for those that like that sort of thing.
47 min: Livramento, a current England international and right back playing on the left, is tripped by James Justin, a one-time England international and right back playing on the left. The Leicester player receives a booking on the edge of Leicester’s box, with Trippier whipping a poor free kick high over the bar from the resulting set-piece.
Peeeeeeeeeeeeep!
We’re off again! Leicester have now conceded 21 goals since the last time they scored, nearly 12 hours ago.
Van Nistelrooy has made a double change: Mavididi and Buonanotte on for Daka and Kristiansen. Leicester have reverted to a back four.
Half-time reading:
Half-time: Leicester City 0-3 Newcastle United
Jacob Murphy is on for a hat-trick! What a season he is having!
45 min: Two minutes added on here.
43 min: “At this point in Leicester’s mind-bogglingly barren goalless streak, I wouldn’t be surprised if Ruud Van Nistelrooy subbed himself in,” writes Peter Oh.
I tell you who he shouldn’t sub in: 15-year-old Jeremy Monga. I reckon this is just about the worst way to blood in a youngster.
41 min: Daka hits both posts for Leicester! The Zambian toe-pokes a finish from the edge of Newcastle’s area that pings off the bottom of Pope’s left-hand post, rolling along the goalline and off the other post, before rolling back towards the Newcastle goalkeeper. How’s your luck?! Vardy is actually given offside (correctly) in the build-up, so the goal wouldn’t have counted. But that feels typical of Daka’s half, and Leicester’s season in general.
40 min: Isak so nearly makes it four! Leicester are making error after error after error. Justin inexplicably passes the ball to Isak well inside his own half, and the Swede moves towards goal, ambling in that fluid rhythm of his, before squirming a shot a yard wide. Hermansen wasn’t getting there, if Isak had found the corner, there.
38 min: A question for Newcastle fans. If you are Eddie Howe, are you taking off Isak/Tonali/Guimaraes/any other essential players at half-time? Or do you go for the jugular and focus on goal difference?
36 min: What wasn’t difficult to see was Faes’ defending, or lack of it. A pathetic attempt at a tackle on Joelinton in the lead up to that third goal.
GOAL! Leicester City 0-3 Newcastle United (Barnes 34)
Barnes starts and finishes this move to twist the knife against his former club! The 27-year-old springs forward on the counter attack, and feeds Isak. The Swede gets a shot off, which is blocked, but Joelinton is first to the rebound. He turns Faes inside out inside Leicester’s area, and the Brazilian tests Hermansen with a crafty effort. The Leicester keeper saves, but Barnes taps in the rebound! It was difficult to say at first glance if that was a lucky break for Newcastle or if every single Leicester defender was stationary and asleep as the ball came back out.
Updated
31 min: El Khannous pounces on a loose Newcastle pass and drives a full 60 yards into the space beyond Trippier, who was caught up the pitch. After an impressive carry from El Khannous, Schar eventually engages the Leicester youngster, who tests Pope with a stinging drive. Another Leicester corner, which comes to nothing, but this is better from the home side.
29 min: “I don’t think Newcastle want to stop at two,” emails Adauto Araujo. “Five more goals and they enter the Champions League zone. Your bolognese will have to wait”.
You’re quite right, Adauto. Goal difference could be absolutely crucial in the race for the Champions League. This is the table as things stand.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 31 | 42 | 73 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 31 | 30 | 62 |
| 3 | Nottm Forest | 31 | 14 | 57 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 31 | 17 | 53 |
| 5 | Newcastle | 30 | 12 | 53 |
| 6 | Man City | 31 | 17 | 52 |
| 7 | Aston Villa | 31 | 0 | 51 |
| 8 | Fulham | 31 | 5 | 48 |
| 9 | Brighton | 31 | 2 | 47 |
| 10 | AFC Bournemouth | 31 | 11 | 45 |
| 11 | Crystal Palace | 30 | 4 | 43 |
| 12 | Brentford | 31 | 4 | 42 |
| 13 | Man Utd | 31 | -4 | 38 |
| 14 | Tottenham Hotspur | 31 | 13 | 37 |
| 15 | Everton | 31 | -5 | 35 |
| 16 | West Ham | 31 | -17 | 35 |
| 17 | Wolverhampton | 31 | -16 | 32 |
| 18 | Ipswich | 31 | -34 | 20 |
| 19 | Leicester | 31 | -44 | 17 |
| 20 | Southampton | 31 | -51 | 10 |
27 min: Leicester win a corner. Signs of life, perhaps? Dan Burn, the 6ft7in giant, heads the ball away for Newcastle, the pesky so and so.
24 min: Daka is having a torrid time. He failed to track back for Newcastle’s opener, a few minutes ago he passed the ball straight to Tonali and now he has fallen in a heap trying to win a free-kick, only to be told to get to his feet by referee Robert Jones.
22 min: Barnes has a chance to make it three … but Coady makes a crucial block! After Joelinton picked Ndidi’s pocket in midfield, and Guimaraes played a lovely ball out wide, Barnes advanced and attempted to curl one of his trademark far-post finishes. The ball was heading in, but Coady just got across to deflect the ball wide. Leicester heads are shaking, on and off the pitch.
20 min: Newcastle are utterly dominant.
17 min: Richard Hirst emails “is it coincidence that Wout Faes can be rewritten as U Waste Of …”
Think it’s unfair to single out Faes, the whole team can’t defend for toffee. But obviously it’s the people that are most noticeable that attract the most attention. And that glam-rock haircut is … noticeable.
Reminds me of a story I once heard from a youth team coach that explained that a lot of the academy players dyed their hair because it seemed they used to get more attention from scouts.
15 min: Yellow card for Ndidi, who brings down Livramento, and is swiftly reprimanded by the referee.
13 min: Shall we call it there? Leicester could do with saving some face, and Newcastle won’t want any more injuries. I’ve got a slow-cook bolognese that needs stirring. Or might we see a response from Van Nistelrooy’s side?
GOAL! Leicester City 0-2 Newcastle United (Murphy 11)
Newcastle double their lead in spectacular circumstances! Schar wins the ball on the half-way line and seeing Hermansen off his line, shoots! The Leicester keeper is completely caught out as the ball sails over his head, crashing against the crossbar, and Murphy is the only player to react, controlling the rebound and prodding home! Wow!
Updated
8 min: It appears that Wout Faes is more of an ethereal concept than a centre back. The Belgian is bundled over by Barnes and is lucky to be bailed out by Justin.
6 min: I’m still not entirely sure how is playing right wing for Leicester. Daka? I think it’s Daka, who was nowhere to be seen when Livramento made his way up Newcastle’s left wing for their goal.
4 min: Van Nistelrooy is furious on the sidelines, effing and jeffing. His side were completely caught out of shape on Newcastle’s first attack, and Kristiansen also missed his clearance at the back post, before Murphy pounced.
GOAL! Leicester City 0-1 Newcastle United (Murphy 2)
Boos ring out around the King Power Stadium as Newcastle score inside two minutes! This is such an easy goal to score, and such a poor one to concede. Barnes gets free on the left, Livramento makes an overlapping run – completely untracked by a Leicester player – and the full-back has time and space in the area to canter to the byline and feed a low cross across Leicester’s goal to the far post, where Murphy taps in!
Updated
1 min: Maybe 10 seconds into the game, Ndidi wins a flick on from kick-off and Vardy flashes a shot towards Pope’s near post and the Newcastle keeper tips it behind! What a start from the home side!
Peeeeeeeeeep!
We’re off in the East Midlands. A penny for the thoughts of Steve Cooper.
“It’s a 5am kick-off time here in Oz for the Islam Slimani Derby,” writes Chris Paraskevas. “I remember his heavily artistic interpretation of a ‘loan move’ to NUFC from Leicester some years back under Benitez, complete with red card and absolutely eff all else?”
Slimani! Of course! Still playing in Belgium with Westerlo, according to The Internet.
Van Nistelrooy also had a word for Jeremy Monga, describing the 15-year-old on Leicester’s bench as someone that possesses “game-changing qualities”.
Monga would become the second youngest player ever to grace the Premier League, if he comes on tonight.
Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy speaks to the cameras:
Of course, the run of form is mark of confidence. When we have a defeat, what you want to do is get up and do the best you can. Every game is a new chance. The players are up for it, they are recharged and I have to give them credit for that. If you give up and stop believing, there is no chance of changing things.
Can we send these Southend fans to Washington DC?
“Not sure why an unchanged team has been named for maybe the fifth game in a row,” emails Leicester fan Graham Randall. “We’re due an absolute thrashing soon. We’ve been fortunate that recert teams have scored and then just had a practice match. Not sure what the answer is but it isn’t this manager. Absolutely clueless.”
It does seem very odd. And it’s not like he doesn’t have options on the bench. On their day, Mavididi, De Cordova-Reid, Ayew and Buonanotte can all do some damage, particularly the latter.
The Isak celebration, the disdainful thumb over the shoulder, is one of my current favourites. It’s not better than Benjani’s, but it’s very, very good.
She hit him with the Isak celebration 😂 https://t.co/0if1S2TCLg
— Keet 🇬🇩 (@keetj5) April 6, 2025
The teams!
Leicester: Hermansen, Faes, Coady, Thomas, Justin, Ndidi, Soumare, Kristiansen, Daka, El Khannous, Vardy.
Subs: Stolarczyk, Okoli, Mavididi, De Cordova-Reid, Ayew, Ricardo Pereira, Skipp, Buonanotte, Monga.
Newcastle: Pope, Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento, Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton, Murphy, Isak, Barnes.
Subs: Dubravka, Ruddy, Wilson, Targett, Krafth, Osula, Longstaff, Miley, Neave.
In chastening news for Leicester, Joelinton and Isak are both fit to start. Anthony Gordon, however, doesn’t make Newcastle’s squad. Still, that’s a pretty strong XI for the visitors, even if the bench is a little light.
Further Harvey Barnes-related reading.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to the match known by absolutely nobody as the Ayoze Pérez Derby. There are not too many players that have made the not-so-famous switch between Leicester and Newcastle – I remembered Pérez, Chris Wood, Les Ferdinand, Keith Gillespie before Googling the rest, and found that I had forgotten Steve Howey, Nobby Solano, Steve Guppy, Danny Simpson. I’m sure there are others (my inbox is open for business, michael.butler@theguardian.com), but that’s quite enough nostalgia for one preamble.
All of that is a long-winded way of saying that Newcastle’s Harvey Barnes will return to his former club this evening. The winger has played regularly for Eddie Howe since the injury (and Carabao Cup final suspension) of Anthony Gordon and it’s expected that the latter will not start tonight, having only joined full training on Friday. To make matters worse for Howe, both Alexander Isak and Joelinton have picked up knocks and are doubtful for this evening, which is absolutely essential for Newcastle’s Champions League ambitions. The Magpies will leapfrog Manchester City and go fifth with victory here.
Leicester are almost certainly doomed. After the Foxes won their first game and drew their second match under Ruud van Nistelrooy in early December, they have lost all but one of their subsequent league games. That leaves Leicester 15 points adrift of safety, nearly double their points tally.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | West Ham | 31 | -17 | 35 |
| 17 | Wolverhampton | 31 | -16 | 32 |
| 18 | Ipswich | 31 | -34 | 20 |
| 19 | Leicester | 30 | -42 | 17 |
| 20 | Southampton | 31 | -51 | 10 |
An unlikely win here would still be intriguing. Their next two games are very difficult – Brighton away and Liverpool at home – but Leicester do actually have a relatively kind run in: Wolves (a), Southampton (h), Forest (a), Ipswich (h), Bournemouth (a). That’s about as easy as it gets in the Premier League these days. Leicester have almost certainly run out of road, but in the interests of narrative, let’s say they still have a chance.
Kick-off: 8pm BST.
