Newcastle 0 Crystal Palace 0 (NUFC win 3-2 on penalties) – Match ratings and comments on all the NUFC players

We asked Ben Cooper to give us his match ratings and player comments after Newcastle 0 Crystal Palace 0 (NUFC win 3-2 on penalties).

One of those matches where Eddie Howe’s (much changed) side had to grind it out.

Looking a bit better in second half, especially once subs came on, though the penalty shoot out was (for once) the highlight of this particular match.

MATCH RATINGS:

Pope – 10

Made a great save in the first twenty minutes when Palace were on top. A straight right arm from a twelve yard belter.

For the rest of the game he was unflappable and looked like nothing would get past him.

After keeping a clean sheet he saved three of the five penalties sent his way from a Palace team who it is fair to say hadn’t spent much time practising them. Won the game for United.

Man of the Match by all six foot six of him.

Manquillo – 6:

Lasted 66 minutes. Officially rusty.

Had no relationship with Elliot Anderson in front of him and the pair of them will suffer in comparison to the awesomeness of Trippier and Almiron so far this season.

Most of the successful Palace attacks came down his side so you can probably say that his performance lay somewhere between ‘needed a game’ and ‘cemented his place as the Toon’s third choice right back’.

Manquillo probably won’t be at NUFC much longer but he kept a clean sheet so let’s be generous.

Lascelles – 6:

Normally, when the club captain is not playing well, he doesn’t get tight enough to the strikers, he worries he will be turned and out-paced.

He has probably spent the last ten months watching how tight Burn gets and decided to do the same. Fairly badly to be fair, he just ended up bundling the Palace forwards over with regularity, which gave them an easy out to any pressure and relied heavily on the leniency of the referee to not card him for doing the same thing over and over again.

See Manquillo for longevity and generosity, their first (and perhaps only) job is to stop the opposition scoring.

Burn – 6:

Played 66 minutes. Was shaky playing alongside the previously mentioned shakiness.

Missed a great chance with his head in the second half, heading straight at the keeper from eight yards out when he should definitely have scored.

Targett – 7:

The pick of the defenders. Started like he had hardly played all season, which he hadn’t I suppose.

Was baffled by what Maxi was doing in front of him early on but as the game wore on and the subs came on to make the team look like it normally looks, Targett grew into the game and was probably the only regular non-starter who showed that he is immediately ready for action.

Longstaff – 5:

Subbed after 66 minutes. Reverted to previous Longstaff form.

Someone near me said the whole game was like watching United under Steve Bruce. Longstaff typified that.

Unfortunately for him he didn’t have a chance to redeem himself when the A-Team came on, so all I can remember about him is him chasing his tail trying to close down Palace players. Still, at least he did that.

Shelvey – 6:

A mixed bag before going off after 86 minutes, looking absolutely bizmarked.

He obviously wanted to be involved, to his credit and he has put the work in to get back in the squad, coming back fit rather than fat.

He was neat and tidy at times, which is what was required, a no-frills simple possession game bringing the attacking players into play.

Too often he was wastefully Hollywood Shelvey though and that just made him seem out of a place in a team which knows what it is doing and generally did it in the second half.

JoeLinton – 7:

United’s best midfielder, one who was able to stand up to Palace who were strong and quick.

Good on the ball, his only real downfall was that he was equally unable to provide Maxi with the service he required, probably because he had no idea where Maxi was or what he wanted.

Took a great penalty and I thought he was NUFC’s best outfield player in the ninety minutes.

Anderson – 6:

An eventful 78 minutes full of running, fouling, some great touches and some dreadful ones.

Had a shot in the first half and did a plausible impression of Miggy in that he never stopped running. He looks like a player who needs at least one if not two seasons in the Championship to play eighty games and get some experience to learn what to do and when and what not to do and when.

He is a young player with potential though, with the right management he might make it and I have been generous with his mark because at times he showed that in a team which stuttered.

Wood – 5:

Missed a great chance after intercepting a backpass early in the second half. I had hoped his goal on Sunday would give him confidence but that didn’t show today.

He took his penalty really well, apart from that he looked like another player who the rest of the team are leaving behind.

Saint-Maximin – 5:

I mean I could write all day about his performance.

He is unique at the club in that he is that entertainer, unpredictable, tries things, runs with the ball and frightens the opposition.

Unfortunately, none of that came off for him against Palace (who can match his pace and strength) and all that came of it was none of the players in black and white knowing where and when to pass to him.

Off the ball he has no consistency in his positional play, his pressing is non-existent and those trying to find him with the ball don’t know whether to put it in space in front of him to run onto, or to play it to his feet.

At the moment he looks like a player who will come on for the last twenty to either get a goal or exploit the space left by the opposition doing the same.

I hope he grows into what NUFC have become without him, I really do, he has a special talent. He didn’t show that he would last night.

SUBS:

Tripper – 7:

Came on after 66 minutes. Made an immediate impact and helped to turn the last twenty five minutes into complete domination.

Scored his penalty, as I expected him to.

Botman – 6:

See Trippier. Exactly the same except took an appalling penalty.

Bruno – 6:

See Botman. Marvellous player, ran the show when he came on and had the chance to be the match winner with his penalty.

See Chris Waddle in Italia 90 for further comment on that particular effort.

Almiron – 6

Came on after 78 minutes, gave the team another immediate lift which confirmed United dominance.

Missed a great chance, the sort of chance that he has been tucking away recently and that would have won the game but he didn’t, it didn’t and the heroes lie elsewhere this time.

Willock – N/A (Not on long enough to judge)

Reluctantly plodded on for Shelvey after 86 minutes.

I’m not giving him a mark, he will play against Chelsea and I look forward to seeing him continue his good form on Saturday.

Stats from BBC Sport:

Newcastle 0 Crystal Palace 0 (NUFC win 3-2 on penalties) – Wednesday 9 November 7.45pm

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Penalty shootout – Wood, Trippier, Joelinton score – Botman and Bruno don’t

Palace:

Penalty shootout – Hughes, Ward score – Pope saves from Milivojevic, Mateta and Ebiowei

(Half-time stats in brackets)

Possession was Palace 34%  Newcastle 66%

Total shots were Palace 6 Newcastle 13

Shots on target were Palace 3 Newcastle 4

Corners were Palace 5 Newcastle 4

Referee: Graham Scott

Crowd: 51,660

Newcastle United:

Pope, Manquillo (Trippier 66), Lascelles, Burn (Botman 66), Targett, Shelvey (Willock 86), Longstaff (Bruno 66), Joelinton, Anderson (Almiron 78), ASM, Wood

Unused Subs:

Karius, Schar, Lewis, Murphy

(Eddie Howe reflects on getting the job done against Crystal Palace – League AND Cup progress – Read HERE)

(Patrick Vieira with bizarre claim after Crystal Palace lose on penalties to Newcastle United – Read HERE)

(League Cup massively opens up with shock exits for top Premier League clubs and lower league clubs progressing – Read HERE)

(Newcastle 0 Crystal Palace 0 (NUFC win 3-2 on penalties) – The instant NUFC fan / writer reaction – Read HERE)

(Newcastle United beat Crystal Palace in the cup – The NUFC penalty kings… Read HERE)