Newcastle step up Champions League chase with Leicester win
LEICESTER, United Kingdom: Newcastle coasted to a 3-0 win over sorry Leicester on Monday to step up their Champions League charge and condemn the Foxes to an eighth straight Premier League defeat without scoring. Eddie Howe’s men, still on a high after winning the League Cup last month, are up to fifth in the table, level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea, but with a game in hand. Fifth place will almost certainly be enough to secure a place in the Champions League next season after strong performances by English clubs in continental competition. But Ruud van Nistelrooy’s hapless team are heading back down to the Championship after a solitary season in the Premier League. The visitors were 2-0 up in the 11th minute after two goals from Jacob Murphy, the second a tap-in from close range after an audacious effort from Fabian Schar hit the crossbar, and Harvey Barnes added a third before half-time. Leicester were brighter in the second half but could not end their goal drought in the league, which stretches back to January. The opening moments of the contest gave false hope to the long-suffering home fans as Jamie Vardy tested Nick Pope in the visitors’ goal. Newcastle were ahead in the just second minute after Tino Livramento squared for Murphy to tap home after an attack down the left. Minutes later time stood still as Schar, spotting goalkeeper Mads Hermansen off his line, nearly scored from his own half. His effort cannoned off the crossbar but landed at the feet of Murphy, who was the only player to react. The game was effectively over before half-time when former Leicester player Barnes finished from close range after Hermansen saved from Joelinton, declining to celebrate. Van Nistelrooy introduced Stephy Mavididi
