Newcastle throw their season away after giving up another lead at Crystal Palace – Premier League hits and misses | Soccer News

Newcastle are literally throwing their season away

Had Newcastle not lost all the points they dropped from positions they would have been second. If they hadn’t lost just half of those points, they would be in fifth place.

Eddie Howe called it a “blight” on their season, while Aaron Ramsdale suggested their 25-point drop was the story of their campaign. No team has gone down more while in front and Newcastle are five points clear.

It’s a problem that Howe says the more you think about it, the more it happens. However, Newcastle must stop the rot. They have lost seven of their last 10 games and Newcastle’s season is spiraling and the pressure is mounting on Howe.

The feeling that Howe’s future could depend on Newcastle’s European status or lack of next season is catching up with the Magpies boss. That feeling will grow given the fact that all the teams above them seem to be in the mix while Newcastle looks on.

There was an air of sympathy for Howe amid it all, but that is turning to apathy, with fans who traveled to London not even waiting to receive applause from the players.

Newcastle are on the beach, but after tasting the riches of Champions League football and a first piece of silverware in decades, their feet are up, trainers on, not where they want to be with six games to go.
William Bitibiri

Wake up: Spurs’ slide is real

What began as a day of promise for the start of the Roberto De Zerbi era at Tottenham ended in a crushing reality: Is this team really good enough to stay in the Premier League?

For most of this season, the narrative has been framed differently. Those of us who comment regularly have asked the question: Are Tottenham really bad enough to be relegated? Most will answer no. But that attitude is fast changing after a dismal 1-0 defeat to Sunderland.

Spurs are compelling relegation contenders. Maybe, like Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher supposes on Super Sundaya more convincing case than those around them given form and confidence levels. “Tottenham look like they’re going to go down,” he said, “the other teams have something going for them.”

Only Derby, Sunderland and Swindon Town have endured longer winless runs to start a calendar year in the top flight than Spurs’ current run and all three have been relegated in their respective campaigns. De Zerbi needs a miracle to avoid the same fate.

All the warning signs are there. And now, what felt like an impossibly shocking event, that had little genuine substance, feels very likely indeed.
Laura Hunter

Will the real Cole Palmer please stand up?

Cole Palmer got a hug and a word in Pep Guardiola’s ear at full-time on Sunday. What the Man City boss said to his former player remains a mystery, but some encouragement and advice could be useful for the Chelsea star who is not shining as brightly as usual at the moment.

That’s just one goal in his past 11 games for club and country, and apart from a few momentary flashes, Palmer hasn’t looked like the game-changer he could be.

England boss Thomas Tuchel noted how Palmer “struggled to make a difference” when used as a No 10 against Japan last month, while Liam Rosenior needs some attacking inspiration – Chelsea have failed to score in their three Premier League defeats in a row.

When Chelsea became world champions last summer, Palmer stole the show in the final, scoring twice and setting up another in that showpiece victory over Paris St-Germain. But after an injury-hit first half of the season, his match-winning form remains elusive at this juncture in the campaign.
Peter Smith

Unique? Special? Cherki gets all the praise from Pep

“For the second goal I said: ‘OK, shoot or pass to the right. Even I, who was outside, could not see it. He is a top, top, top talent.’

Pep Guardiola almost sounded in awe of the abilities of Rayan Cherki when describing his performance after the Frenchman inspired Man City to victory at Chelsea. The pass into Marc Guehi was excellent and caught out the opposition as well as Guardiola. Cherki’s cross for Nico O’Reilly was also good. And he helped Jeremy Doku get rid of Moises Caicedo for the third.

Cherki is the first player to register more than 10 assists in their first Premier League season since Dimitri Payet in 2015/16. He was a joy to watch.

“It’s incredible the numbers and the quality in the first season in the Premier League. It’s something unique,” Guardiola said.

As City bid for a title shot, it is Cherki who pulls the strings and opens up defenses for Guardiola’s side.
Peter Smith

Le Bris is a driver of the year contender

Sunderland are seriously impressive.

If there was a manual on how to stay in the Premier League as a newly promoted side, many of Sunderland’s best qualities would be listed.

No bells and whistles, just the basics done really well. They appreciate the things that are often overlooked.

Regis Le Bris’s side average 1.81 points per game at home, the sixth best ratio in the league. They kept six clean sheets at the Stadium of Light, with their home defense record only bettered by Arsenal and Manchester City.

Overall, they have lost the same number of league games as current champions Liverpool (10).

To be so consistent across the campaign with a group of relative Premier League starters is a credit to Le Bris. It is recognition and proof that it can be done with the right mix of competence and risk. The football is also good to watch.

Sunderland gambled with such an aggressive recruitment campaign in the summer, but they knew they had Le Bris to make sense of it all. The Frenchman should be in the conversation for manager of the season. His achievements against all odds are quite remarkable.
Laura Hunter

Forest’s final third mistakes need to be addressed

The 1-1 draw with Aston Villa for Nottingham Forest had its positives. Forest were organized and resilient to frustrate a talented opponent. But a familiar issue remains at the fore: Bos is simply not doing enough where it matters most.

Eight games without a home win tells its own story. The last time the City Ground tasted victory was against Tottenham in December. Since then the energy was there, the intention was there, but the cutting edge was missing. That’s why Sean Dyche was replaced and it wasn’t improved.

Just 14 of their 32 Premier League goals this season have come at home – the lowest return in the division.

You can see why when you watch them.

Igor Jesus had moments against Villa where sharper attackers make the difference, half chances that need to become something more. There is a hesitation and a lack of conviction in the key moments.

Then there is the supply line. Callum Hudson-Odoi and Callum Hutchinson found pockets of space, carried the ball into promising areas and asked questions of the Villa defence. But the final action – the shot, the cross, the decision – just lacked the required quality.

This has been the theme of their season at the City Ground. And that is the danger for Forest.
Lewis Jones

Familiar story like Watkins failing to convert when it matters

There’s a difference between a striker who goes cold and one who develops a reputation and at the moment Ollie Watkins is drifting firmly into the latter category.

This is not a knee-jerk reaction to another frustrating afternoon in the 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest for the striker. It’s a pattern that has been quietly building over the past two seasons.

Watkins does so much right. His movement stretches defences, his pace is a constant out-ball and his work rate is perfectly suited to the demands of modern Premier League football. But when the moment comes in front of the goal, the conviction just isn’t always there.

Since the start of last season, only Erling Haaland has missed more big chances than Watkins (43). But here’s the cruel twist: Haaland scored another 19 goals in the same period. This is the difference between a good forward and a ruthless one.

And that’s where the concern lies for Aston Villa.

When those missed opportunities start to cost results, as at the City Ground where he grabbed a one-on-one chance over the bar, it becomes an issue that cannot be ignored.
Lewis Jones

The redemption of Jean-Philippe Mateta

On Deadline Day it was hard to see a way back at Crystal Palace for Jean-Philippe Mateta.

The striker had mooted a move to AC Milan, which fell through due to a lingering knee injury – one which then kept him out of action for Crystal Palace for the last four months.

You sensed it would be a somewhat quiet exit in the summer, potentially tarnishing a huge legacy at a club where he had been loved for so long.

But after returning to action against Fiorentina on Thursday, he has now scored three goals in two games, including a brace to knock Newcastle off the bench.

As a striker, you just need to score goals to be loved again – and that’s just what Mateta does.

It would have been a real shame for the Frenchman to go out with a whimper at a club where he did so much, and had a big hand in the most successful period in their history.

Whether he leaves this summer or not, he feels the love of the Crystal Palace fans again and shows he is still committed to the club as long as he stays.

Mateta has also probably come in two games that he remains the main man up front, despite the January arrival of Jorgen Strand Larsen.

He is also putting himself in the shop window for France’s World Cup squad this summer – one of the main reasons he decided against surgery and focused on other rehabilitation for his knee to get him back playing.

As Crystal Palace aim for European glory as well as another historic Premier League scoring record, Mateta’s contributions will continue to be vital.
Charlotte Marsh