United are away at Turf Moor against Burnley in what is yet another crucial fixture in terms of survival. With Fulham losing to Wolves with a master class of striking the ball by Adama Traore. Three points today would add a slight bit of breathing space in the fight for survival. With Fulham's drop in form can The Mags Capitalize? The Main three attackers are all back in the squad for today's game With Allan Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson Both on the bench. In light of the impressive comeback against Spurs, Bruce has kept the five at the back system with a 5-3-2 formation. Dubravka keeps his place in goal, in front of him are the back five consisting of Murphy, Clark, Fernandez, Dummett and Ritchie. The Midfield Three are Almiron, Shelvey and Longstaff. Leading the line up front are Joelinton who seeks to add to his goal versing Spurs, and Gayle who will be looking over his shoulder towards the bench seeing Wilson ready and waiting.
Newcastle got us underway but at the beginning it was all Burnely with the first chance as they win a free kick in the 9th minute. McNeil delivers the ball into the box and Tarkowski is there to meet it but its headed way off target. Straight away Burnley were back in from a poor cross by Gudmundson which found Vydra who beat Clark to the loose ball, Vydra got a shot away but Fernandez was there in time to make the block. But two minutes later Sean Longstaff almost scored one of the luckiest but greatest goals of his life when he miskicked an early cross, the ball dipped towards goal making the Burnley number two keeper Peacock-Farrel track back and attempt the save but the ball landed on the roof of the net. But this wasn't the resurgence into the game Newcastle were hoping for as Burnley reacted to the near miss with Westwood putting a ball into the box to find Brownhill who heads the ball towards goal, Dubravka gets his hands to the ball but palms it back into the penalty area. Ben Mee goes down as the ball falls to Lowton who hits the ball over the bar. Burnley's keeper almost made a calamity of a mistake in the 18th minute when he came out of his box to clear the ball. He got the ball away only as far as Longstaff who couldn't get the ball out of his feet to get the shot away. But just two minutes later Burnley got the goal they deserved up until that point when Wood got down the left hand side deep into the the box, Wood played the ball back and across to Vydra who was clear of the defense. Vydra smashed the ball past Dubravka. A negative start for the Mags, That goal was coming. 1-0.
Newcastle didn't retaliate how we would like and they were pegged back by Burnley until the 36th minute when Murphy played a low ball into the box to find Joelinton who toe poked it towards Gayle, Gayle with a little shuffle of his feet directed the ball into the bottom corner only for the linesmans flag to be raised. Finally Newcastle sought to attack as Murphy delivered another ball into the box from out wide. Gayle volleyed the ball from close range but the Northern Irish keeper spread himself effectively to keep out Gayle but the ball ricochet off of the keeper into the path of Longstaff who went in with his head as Tarkowski hooked the ball clear, catching the face of Longstaff in the process. VAR looked at the challenged and somehow deemed it to be fair. Onto the 45th minute mark and Westwood picked up the ball on the wing, Westwood drilled the ball into the box only for Dummett to stick his leg out and force his own keeper into making a terrific stop to bale out the Welshman. Half-Time 1-0.
Burnely start the second-half as they played in the first, on the front foot pegging Newcastle back who were still a goal down. in the 48th minute Burnley had a corner which was partially cleared to Lowton standing outside of the area, Lowton's first effort was blocked but he had another effort which he struck well forcing Dubravka to sprout his wings and fly to palm the ball out for a corner. And again in the 56th minute Dubravka took the skies when McNeil had a shot from twenty yards out but the big Slovakian Superman saved the day yet again for United. The corner comes in but Dubravka gets a fist to punch the ball to safety.
Bruce had seen enough and decided to bring on Newcastle's equivialant to Yu-Gi-Oh's Egyptian God cards, completing the trio by summing to the field Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin, sacrificing (Not literally) Joelinton and Dwight Gayle. Could this substitution help the Mags? Why yes it can! Super Max dribbled his way into the box, dancing as he fooled the defense to drag the ball back to find Murphy who, make no mistake deserves the credit for a difficult finish from a tough position. fantastic play by United, what an inspired interchange. 1-1.
In the 63rd Minute Saint-Maximin had been unleashed! Remember Hatem Ben Arfa versus Bolton? Must be a Newcastle number ten thing, as ASM picked up the ball in the center of the midfield and drove at the defense who were backing off, Saint-Maximin got to the edge of the box where he turned the ball onto to his left foot fooling the defense he struck the ball into the bottom corner to the keepers left. 1-2.
Burnley, then behind sought redemption in the 73rd minute when Vydra made a run in behind Fernandez and struck the ball from a tight angle into the side netting.
Newcastle won a corner in the 84th minute despite Murphy getting the last touch. Ritchie took the corner which was punched away, dropping kindly for Longstaff, he swipes his leg at the ball but misses completely. Saint-Maximin obtained possession but hits a defender as the ball is cleared away
In the 88th Minute with time running out Burnley needed an equalizer, but it was Saint-Maximin who broke again, palming away defenders as he drove into the box ASM pulled the ball back in search of Wilson who missed the ball, however Miguel Almiron did not as he hit the ball sweetly towards goal, but the ball was cleared off the line by Mee. Jeff Hendrick was the final substitute for Steve Bruce's men replacing Almiron in added time to hold on for the victory. And hold on they did. What a win for the Mags. Huge! three points at Turf Moor. Full Time: Burnley 1-2 Newcastle United.
What a win, What a result. Allan Saint-Maximin was undoubtedly the difference today. We have definitely missed our big three attackers. And it had shown. We are now six points clear of Fulham and only two goals behind in terms of goal difference. Maybe a five at the back system was negative but credit to Bruce he knew he had a hand to play whereas Sean Dyche laid his cards out on the table from the start. Bruce had Rocky Balboa's tactics today. Take the punches until Creed became tired then go for the knock out. We now face some tough fixtures in the coming weeks starting with West Ham. This game was crucial to claim all three points and claim them they did.
By Sam West
Howay The Lads!