Newcastle all but safe after Bruno Guimarães’ late header sinks Leicester

The game had entered the fifth minute of stoppage time when Joe Willock, recently introduced as a substitute, accelerated down the left and crossed in the direction of the on-rushing Bruno Guimarães.

Within seconds that deflected delivery had been headed beyond Kasper Schmeichel by Newcastle United’s £33m Brazil midfielder, simultaneously banishing any lingering relegation fears on Eddie Howe’s part.

As Howe and his staff celebrated and Leicester’s Brendan Rodgers stayed rooted to the spot, apparently shell-shocked, those coaches who believe possession to be overrated had once again been vindicated.

At times in the second half a slick, smart Leicester enjoyed 85% of the ball. With Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall impressing hugely in an attacking midfield role they out-passed and out-thought their hosts on a day when Howe received a reminder there is still much work to be done on Tyneside. No matter; with the excellent Guimarães on the pitch and Willock around to make an impact from the bench, Newcastle remain a real counter-attacking threat.

Only three of the Leicester starting XI which won at PSV Eindhoven in last week’s Europa League Conference quarter-final retained their places but such heavy rotation failed to prevent Rodgers’ side assuming a 19th minute lead.

Newcastle had started so slowly it seemed they might have over-dosed on Easter eggs and their defending was all over the place as Dewsbury-Hall directed a corner low to the near post. All that remained was for Ayoze Pérez to extend a leg and conjure a gorgeous flick which prefaced the unattended Ademola Lookman side footing beneath the diving Martin Dubravka’s body from around 10 yards.

As Rodgers and his staff celebrated a goal evidently well rehearsed on the training