Newcastle thrash Sheffield United to cap a positive week for Eddie Howe Photo: Getty Images/James Gill Match review: Sheffield United » vs Newcastle United
For Sheffield United it was not defeat, but complete destruction. Newcastle United tossed them around, tore them apart and then humiliated them with devastating attacking power.
It was shock and awe from Eddie Howe's men as they recorded the biggest away win in league football. .
They also set a new milestone: eight different scorers in one game.
The record books aren't the only thing that won't forget this game in a hurry. Newcastle fans will cherish the Bramall Lane massacre for decades to come.
They were frighteningly good, attacking relentlessly, with dizzying turns from different angles. All this was done with such speed that the owners became dizzy and disoriented. At the end, when Alexander Isak danced through the center of the home defense to score the eighth goal, Sheffield United looked tired even from trying to stop them.
Conceding eight goals at home is bad enough, the problem is that Sheffield United ” knows it could easily be a double digit number. The visitors were so good and so dangerous that they should have inflicted the heaviest defeat in Premier League history on the pathetic, dirty mess that the Blades had become.
Newcastle wasted so many chances in the first half when Callum Wilson could have scored a hat-trick, but were also denied a brazen penalty when Anthony Gordon was tripped by Jadon Bogle. It could have been much worse for the home team.
Newcastle won back-to-back Premier League games to leave San Siro «with a draw. Photo: Getty Images/George Wood < p>It won't bring much comfort to Paul Heckingbottom, whose future in the role looks bleak after this defeat, but there aren't many teams in the Premier League who could keep Newcastle in that mood.< /p>
Howe's side have capped off a great week in style and have sent a clear signal in doing so, but they are not going to be one-hit wonders in terms of their European rivals. Nobody wants to take on them home or away.
“It was a great week for us and I always thought we were capable of doing the same against someone,” Howe said. “We had a very difficult start to the season, but we always knew that this was a decisive period for us.
“We didn't know we were breaking records during the game, but I was delighted with the way we kept going, kept pushing to score more goals. I always knew we would be successful in the final third, we have so many good players in those positions.
“I'm absolutely happy with the team's mentality, especially with all the travel we've done, both emotionally and physically exhaustion from playing in the Champions League in midweek.»
We were wondering how Newcastle would cope in Europe, but they won two games on each side and picked up a very useful point away at Milan. At least for now they look easy.
There was no fatigue, no hint of lack of motivation or determination. They did unpleasant things, but succeeded in beautiful things.
Newcastle earned the right to play against a typically physical Sheffield United side by dealing with the rough stuff before imposing their will on the game. It was a masterclass from a team who, when they click like that in the attacking third, are breathtaking and almost impossible to stop.
They descended on the hosts and, although they scored three goals before the break, left the field cursing poor play and Stuart Atwell's baffling decision not to award a penalty.
Newcastle looked like they would score. With each attack they easily broke through the hosts' defense. It was embarrassing for Heckingbottom's team, whose fans decided to direct their jeers at the match officials rather than their players.
Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom is under pressure. Photo: Getty Images/Darren Staples
This was due to a perceived, albeit inaccurate, sense of injustice. The home side thought Gordon had allowed the ball to go out of play and handled it before crossing for Sean Longtaff to score first time. The ball did not go out of play, and since the handball was unintentional, the goal stood.
There were also complaints that Dan Byrne scored from a corner after a fine save from Wes Foderingham because the ball was deflected towards the goal by Miguel Almiron's shot from Fabian Schar. The Blades were perhaps lucky that Burn headed the goal in at the far post with Anel Ahmedhodzic tugging and tugging and would certainly have been sent off for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity had he missed.
The third goal was entirely due to poor defending rather than poor refereeing as Jack Robinson fouled Longstaff on the edge of the box with an overzealous lunge, leading to Sven Botman looking in from Kieran Trippier's free-kick. It was his first goal for Newcastle in his 50th appearance for the club.
Heckingbottom's side tried to rally early in the second half, with the Bramall Lane crowd doing their best to cheer him on, but it was damage. They also failed miserably in the limiting exercise.
Trippier completed his hat-trick with the first cross and Wilson fired home from close range.
Gordon, who was excellent after replacing the injured Harvey Barnes on an early substitution, made it five with a shot from the edge of the box after missing a chance he should have taken seconds earlier. By the time Miguel Almiron made it six, the home stands were empty and only the most dedicated (or foolish) remained to see Bruno Guimarães make it seventh with 17 minutes remaining and Isak eighth thanks to a cleverly taken single. .
Line-ups: Sheffield United — Newcastle United.
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