Andros Townsend scored a stunning free-kick as Newcastle United edged Crystal Palace 1-0 on Saturday and escaped the Premier League relegation zone at the expense of northeast rivals Sunderland.
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FC’s Shaka Hislop breaks down Newcastle’s crucial 1-0 win over Crystal Palace.
The Eagles were given a brilliant chance to level the scores after Moussa Sissoko handled in the area but former Magpie Yohan Cabaye’s bad penalty was saved by keeper Karl Darlow.
Karl Darlow then came to the rescue when he saved Cabaye’s poor penalty. “It was a great opportunity for us to go for the title this season and it is hard to handle the way it is ending”, Welbeck said.
With Leicester City poised to clinch the title on Sunday (Monday NZT) if they beat Manchester United, all eyes were on the other end of the table where two teams out of Newcastle, Sunderland and Norwich City will join doomed Aston Villa in the Championship.
Benitez’s side climbed out of the bottom three for the first time in nearly two months thanks to yesterday’s dramatic 1-0 victory over FA Cup finalists Crystal Palace, who themselves are not quite safe from danger.
Where can I watch them?
Meanwhile, Townsend has insisted he is not even allowing himself to think of forcing his way into England boss Roy Hodgson’s Euro 2016 squad as he concentrates on the task of helping to keep his club in the top flight.
Former Magpies head coach Alan Pardew enjoyed a relatively low key return to Tyneside with his presence barely acknowledged by a home crowd with rather bigger issues at stake, but his game-plan was apparent from the off.
The Wearsiders have now drawn their last two games and have only won one match in the past nine.
Despite both sides having good opportunities to take the lead, the first-half summed up both sides’ seasons as they failed to find the net. Krul and Elliot did an excellent job and now it is my turn to carry on the baton till the end of the season.
“We’ve made it a tough game for Newcastle”.
Allardyce’s side have now lost one and drawn six of their past eight matches, but Newcastle’s win means Sunderland slip to third bottom with a game in hand – one point from safety with pivotal home matches against Chelsea and Everton next on their agenda.
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“I know what Sam Allardyce said before the game, but we wanted to win to make us mathematically safe”. “I’ve got about three of my players who don’t drink so I didn’t really get that”.
