Newcastle United made light work of Leicester City, cruising to a comfortable 3-0 win on Monday to strengthen their Champions League bid and hand the Foxes a crushing eighth consecutive defeat in the Premier League, where they’ve yet to find the back of the net.
After their League Cup triumph last month, Eddie Howe’s side is riding high, moving up to fifth place—level on points with Chelsea in fourth but with a game in hand. Fifth could be enough to secure a coveted Champions League spot next season, especially with strong performances from English clubs in European competitions this year.
For Leicester, however, things are looking bleak. A solitary season in the Premier League seems destined to end in relegation, as they face the grim reality of dropping back down to the Championship.
The game was all but decided by half-time, with Newcastle racing to a 2-0 lead just 11 minutes in. Jacob Murphy was the hero, scoring twice: first from close range after a cross from Tino Livramento, then following up a Fabian Schär shot that cannoned off the crossbar. Harvey Barnes then added a third before the break, taking advantage of a rebound from Mads Hermansen’s save on Joelinton.
The second half saw a more competitive Leicester, but they continued their league goal drought, which now stretches back to January.
Early in the match, Jamie Vardy gave Nick Pope a scare with a shot on goal, but that was as close as Leicester got. Despite a brighter second-half showing, there was no breaking the deadlock. The only spark came when 15-year-old Jeremy Monga became the second-youngest player in Premier League history after being introduced late in the match.
For Newcastle, the result keeps them in the Champions League race, as they aim to avoid the group-stage exit they suffered last season after returning to European football for the first time in over 20 years. Howe, fresh off leading the club to their first major trophy in 56 years, has the chance to make this season even more historic.
But it’s a tight battle—just six points separate third-place Nottingham Forest from seventh-place Aston Villa. The pressure’s on as every point counts.
For Leicester, though, the writing is on the wall. Ruud van Nistelrooy, who took over in November, has seen his team struggle badly since a promising start, with the former Premier League champions now set to join Ipswich in a return to the second tier. Only Southampton‘s relegation has been officially confirmed, but Leicester’s fate seems all but sealed.
