Two second-half goals from James Maddison and Youri Tielemans put Leicester city in the driving seat for a potential title challenge after a sluggish first half the Tigers went on to win the game comfortably and put themselves one point off the top spot of the league. 

Even with a consolation goal from substitute Andy Carroll Newcastle United could not break down Leicester and get a result from the game. It was Carroll's first goal for Newcastle in over ten years. 

Leicester celebrates a fourth consecutive win over Newcastle United something the midlands side have never done. The Tigers also kept their 100 per cent record of winning games after scoring first this season. 

  • Story of the Match 

Newcastle set into the blueprint that worked successfully against title-holders Liverpool. However, Leicester was smarter and moved the ball with zip creating chances which should have seen Newcastle fall behind in the first fifteen minutes. Jamie Vardy putting the ball in the net but being called offside was the highlight. 

The game settled quickly with Newcastle easing into the game upon the half-hour mark. Solid possession football by Leicester and shapely defending and pressure from the home side. 

With the game teetering back and forth between sluggish and passive towards to end of the first half, Leicester turned up the heat creating two chances within a few minutes of each other both full-backs in James Justin and Timothy Castagne proving difficult on the wings. Newcastle will have been happy in the first half as Leicester failed to register a shot on target in the first half. With the away side final ball being poor. 

The second half started with a bang as Jamie Vardy finally beats the offside trap of Newcastle and manages to get a shot away. It is wide of the near post. Vardy has scored many of them in the past and should have done better. 

Newcastle had their good opportunities early in the second half as DeAndre Yedlin, and Matt Ritchie both found space and whipped in a killer crosses not seen by any black and white shirt. 

The very next attack Harvey Barnes plays through Jamie Vardy who danced around three Newcastle defenders and laid it off to James Maddison who thundered the ball in from twelve yards out. 

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Leicester enjoyed more possession and Newcastle tried to break away which caused Yuri Tielemans to get booked for a cynical foul on Miguel Almiron. 

Since the second goal, the next ten minutes was a lot like the first half with Leicester controlling the game and Newcastle trying to counter. The Magpies found themselves with a similar problem to Leicester in the first half as the final ball was always poor despite promising areas. 

Seventy minutes in Leicester took control of the game. Tielemans scoring Leicester's second goal after Marc Albriation gives the ball to the Belgian who cooly slotted it home from 20 yards out.

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Leicester looked to add to their total an audacious effort from Jamie Vardy whos effort blessed the crossbar and was inevitably given offside. 

With a silly foul by James Justin on Sean Longstaff. A Newcastle free-kick heads into the box where the second ball falls to subsite Andy Carroll who's low volley fires into the bottom corner to give Newcastle a consolation goal.

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Since Newcastles first goal, the Magpies used Andy Carroll and Callum Wilson's aerial prowess to create opportunities. Wilson had a massive opportunity to even the scoring, but the offside flag denied him a real bite of the cherry. 

Harvey Barnes looked to add to Leicesters lead with a near-post effort drilled at Karl Darlow, but the English goalkeeper keeps it out and saves Newcastle from a third. 

It finished with Leicester taking all three points and going one point behind the league leaders Manchester United and Liverpool. 

Key Takeaways

James Maddison is quite good at football

The English midfielder scored his fourth goal of the season in this afternoons win. But everything Leicester did in an attacking sense went through Maddison. In the first half, he was instrumental in creating two clear opportunities that needed a good final pass. His goal was well taken even with some questionable defending from Newcastle United as the Magpies left the danger man open with six men behind the ball. 

The questions will continue if Maddison should be selected for England and head to the summer's European Championships. With the from Maddison has managed throughout the season. It almost feels like a certainty.  

Newcastles Longstaff problems

it has always been an issues Newcastle fans wish to discuss and it was on show today. They want to have a homegrown player from the area who knows the fans and what it means to wear the shirt over that particular player's ability. 

The Longstaff brother started their first game together since January 2020. There are two reasons for that. Issac Hayden's suspension and they don't work well together. Matty Longstaff is a good player. It has been heavily discussed the decline of Sean Longstaff and it was on show again today frequently missing open passes and losing his marker. Matty had a good game in breaking up play and doing his job. More of the little Longstaff is needed.  

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  • Starting XI

Newcastle United: Darlow;  Fernández, Schär, Clark; Ricthie S.Lognstaff, M.Longstaff, Yedlin; Joelinton, Wilson. 

Leicester City: Schmeichel; Justin, Fofana, Evans, Castagne; Ndidi, Tielemans, Albrinton,Maddison, Barnes; Vardy.

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