Shane Long strikes to deepen Newcastle misery

Southampton 3 Newcastle 1

Newcastle United plunged ever closer to Premier League relegation with an abject 3-1 defeat at Southampton, inept defending cementing a sixth defeat in seven matches.

Former captain Steven Taylor was hauled off at half-time by Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez, while full-back Daryl Janmaat’s comical fall let Graziano Pelle blast home Southampton’s second goal.

Taylor watched on motionless when Shane Long struck Saints’ opener after just four minutes, with Victor Wanyama on target in the second half.

Andros Townsend fired a 20-yard shot in response, but the listless St James’s Park club are now six points from safety with just six games to play.

Benitez’s men surely need at least four victories to have any chance of clawing to safety, but a run-in containing Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham remains extremely daunting.

A second Premier League relegation in seven years is surely now only a matter of time.

Centre back Taylor’s woeful showing encapsulated all that is wrong with Newcastle.

The Tynesiders sorely needed the 30-year-old to stand strong as the ‘Local Hero’ of Mark Knopfler’s club anthem fame — but instead the defender’s calamitous performance put him firmly in villainous territory.

Taylor ought to be Newcastle’s emotional heartbeat, he ought to drive the dressing room focus. Instead he merely underscores the glaring lack of top-flight quality at this once-proud north east institution.

Paralysed as much by ineptitude as fear, Taylor stood motionless as Long cakewalked through Newcastle’s so-called defence to open the scoring on four minutes.

The symbol of a broken club, Taylor’s shoulders shrugged as much as sagged at the inevitability of Southampton’s lead and Newcastle’s impotence to protest.

Full-back Janmaat’s defensive efforts were just as embarrassing, his comical slip gifting the break that led to Saints’ second goal.

The 26-year-old ought to have intercepted Wanyama’s wayward through ball with ease. Instead he kicked one leg against the other, landed in a heap, and set Southampton away on the break.

A previously rehearsed comedy of errors could have been timed no better.

In a flash Long was once more prowling Newcastle’s box, crabbing left in search of support or an opening to shoot.

The onrushing Pelle provided both, stepping up and blasting home, effectively ending the contest little more than half an hour in.

Janmaat disappeared to the safety of the bench claiming a back problem, but embarrassment could so easily have been the real reason for his withdrawal.

Taylor will have been shamed by his half-time substitution, but boss Benitez hardly had any option, so poor was the defender’s performance.

Wanyama slotted Saints’ third after Karl Darlow could only parry Pelle’s blast following a corner as the hosts picked up where they had left off after the break.

Former Tottenham winger Townsend angled a fine drive past Fraser Forster, but there was to be no resistance. This proved Newcastle’s sole threatening attack of the match.

Southampton coasted to victory from start to finish, indicating Newcastle’s malaise and little more. Ronald Koeman’s men will doubtless have to raise their urgency and accuracy to secure that craved Europa League qualification.

Only last summer owner Mike Ashley insisted he will not sell Newcastle until the club land a major trophy. The divisive Sports Direct magnate could be in for a long wait.

Crystal Palace 1 Norwich 0

Relief greeted Crystal Palace’s first Premier League win of 2016 as Jason Puncheon’s fine strike earned a 1-0 win over Norwich.

Palace had lost nine of their last 14 games — and six straight at home — but Puncheon’s curling effort surely means the Eagles, 16th on 37 points, are clear of relegation danger.

It is 20 years in May since Norwich last won at Palace — six draws in 14 matches — and their failure to get a point meant Aston Villa survived for another day.

The loss also means Alex Neil’s 17th-placed side can still join Villa in being demoted, piling more importance on next Saturday’s clash with Sunderland. The Black Cats are four points behind Norwich, but have two games in hand, the first against leaders Leicester on Sunday.

Alan Pardew’s men, meanwhile, can face Everton on Wednesday with their top-flight status all-but mathematically certain after their first win in almost four months.

Norwich, who had beaten West Brom and Newcastle in successive games, may feel aggrieved after a first-half challenge from Damien Delaney on Matt Jarvis. They appealed in vain for a penalty, but the fact referee Michael Oliver’s decision was a key talking point only showed the poor quality of the contest, even if it was settled by a fine goal.

Palace last won in the league at Selhurst Park on December 12 against Southampton. Rather than pounce upon the anxiety, it infected the Canaries.

Palace pressed again early in the second half. Patrick Bamford was booed when he replaced Naismith, having cut short his loan at Palace, and within moments of the Chelsea striker’s arrival, the hosts led. Puncheon cut in from the right, exchanged passes with Joel Ward and then struck a beautiful curling shot. He appeared tearful in celebrating his first goal of the season.

AstonVilla 1 Bournemouth 2

Aston Villa were granted a stay of execution as their relegation from the Barclays Premier League was delayed — despite a wretched 2-1 home defeat to Bournemouth. Steve Cook and Josh King gave the Cherries a deserved victory against an awful Villa side but Norwich’s 1-0 loss at Crystal Palace ensured the hosts were not demoted on Saturday.

Villa remain 15 points from safety with a vastly inferior goal difference with five games remaining and their relegation to the Sky Bet Championship just needs rubber stamping. They have been bottom of the Premier League since November and never looked like putting up enough fight to beat Bournemouth, despite Jordan Ayew’s late consolation. The Cherries, in contrast, moved onto 41 points and need just a draw to mathematically guarantee a second season in the top flight.

There was never any suggestion Villa were up for the fight from kick-off as, aside from token efforts from Kieran Richardson and Idrissa Gana, there was no real threat. Just three wins all season — one coming on the opening day at Bournemouth — hardly gave hope they will deliver a rousing finale. A broken team and club plodded through the half, going through the motions before being put out of their misery at the break.

The Cherries had continually tried to outfox Villa with short corners and they finally unlocked them with the last kick of the half. Matt Ritchie and Simon Francis worked it well on the right and Francis’ low delivery was flicked in by Cook at the near post.

Immediately, the half-time whistle went and Villa fans turned on their team and they were jeered back onto the pitch for the second half. Rudy Gestede replaced Jordan Lyden, who made his full league debut for the club, but there was little suggestion of Villa instantly responding.

There was, at least, a little more life in Villa but slim belief as the Cherries comfortably held on and they doubled their lead with 17 minutes left after a defensive howler from the hosts. Ciaran Clark was robbed by King who then beat the on-rushing Guzan to the ball to chip it over the keeper and into an empty net.

Ayew’s 83rd-minute goal, as he ran through and beat Artur Boruc, gave Villa some cheer but will not make the difference in the long run with Villa staring at relegation.