Newcastle United vs Leicester City. Premier League.
St James' Park, NewcastleAttendance51,523.
Report and highlights as Newcastle remain winless this season
Saturday 29 September 2018 18:12, UK
Goals from Jamie Vardy and Harry Maguire were enough for Leicester to secure a 2-0 victory at winless Newcastle.
Vardy broke the deadlock from the penalty spot on the half-hour mark to net his second goal in as many games after returning from suspension, giving his side the lead going into the interval.
Newcastle owner Mike Ashley was in the stands for the first time in 16 months - on the day Peter Kenyon was reported to be plotting a takeover bid for the club - but he could only look on as Maguire made sure of the away victory in the 73rd minute.
The final whistle was greeted by a chorus of boos from all around St James' Park as Newcastle remain in the bottom three, having lost their first four home league games for the first time in their history. Leicester are up to seventh after their second successive league win.
The home side had the better of the opening exchanges, with Ayoze Perez denied by a fine block from Wilfred Ndidi, before the same man played in Joselu, who delayed far too long before Maguire slid in to make the interception.
Mo Diame then headed wide from a good position, before Newcastle were masters of their own downfall once more, with DeAndre Yedlin handling in the box to concede a 30th-minute penalty.
Vardy stepped up to fire an unstoppable penalty past the despairing dive of Martin Dubravka in the Newcastle goal, increasing the feeling of vitriol around St James' yet further.
After the break, Newcastle continued to offer very little as an attacking force, with Leicester firmly in command despite their narrow advantage in the scoreline.
Maguire, who had earlier embarrassingly missed two attempts to volley for goal, then made sure of the three points for Leicester, heading home from an inch-perfect James Maddison corner.
Newcastle had a few half chances to at least make a game of it late on, with Joselu missing the most threatening opportunity, but his wayward finish summed the home side up, as it appears fans in the north east are in for a long season of struggle.
The highly-rated youngster's touch was a class apart at St James'. Having created five chances for team-mates in the match - one more than Newcastle created as a team - Maddison will have given England coach Gareth Southgate, sat in the St James' Directors' Box, plenty to ponder. Maddison's cross for Maguire's second was absolutely sublime.
"Newcastle looked lost. No energy, no pace. They never looked like getting back in the game, and that's not Newcastle. I can't remember Schmeichel making one save. Their one shot on target was when Shelvey tried to lob him from 60 yards - he got back and he caught it.
"Worrying, worrying times for Newcastle. The crowd went mad when Ritchie went off, and for Shelvey, when he looks up, there's nobody making runs. That's a problem, and he's finding it hard now. I think they're in big, big trouble.
"I think Benitez is hanging on in there. I think he could be in trouble in a couple of weeks - I really do. I can't believe what I watched today."
It is a trip to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United for Newcastle next, while Leicester welcome Everton to the King Power Stadium.
