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Paul Merson after watching Newcastle v Huddersfield – Never seen him like this

6 years ago
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Paul Merson couldn’t contain himself after watching Newcastle play on Saturday afternoon.

It took an 80th minute Ayoze Perez goal to eventually beat Huddersfield but the Sky Sports pundit was raving about their play in the first half.

Merson declaring…’Newcastle were brilliant first half. Absolutely outstanding. First 30 minutes – 10 shots they had at goal.’

He believes one more win from the final seven games would make totally sure of safety this season…and he knows the perfect game to guarantee it.

Paul Merson says that playing Alan Pardew’s West Brom side is the ideal match to make sure Rafa’s team get over the finishing line, stating that anybody would have taken that at the start of the season – having to beat a team with only two wins in 30 games to make absolutely sure of staying up.

I don’t think I have ever heard/seen Merson go so over the top about Newcastle, so positive, they must have been good, especially before the break.

Paul Merson speaking on Sky Sports:

“I think Newcastle are now one win away [from safety].

“I think if they get one more win, Southampton and Stoke will have to pull up trees to bring that back.

“So for me, one more win…West Brom, they’ve got, West Brom at home – you would like to beat, that’s your cup final.

“If you were told at the start of the season that you had to beat a team who had won two in 30 to stay up, you’d take that.

“Newcastle were brilliant first half. Absolutely outstanding.

“First 30 minutes – 10 shots they had at goal.

“Gayle should have had a couple of goals, they kept on going, they were very good.

“The goal…Perez gets it, plays it out to Atsu, he plays the ball into the box, it falls to Kenedy at the far post.

“Talk about don’t panic, gets the ball and instead of just lashing it at goal he composed himself and a lovely five yard ball and Perez taps it in.

“Definitely, definitely deserved to win the game.

“Brilliant result for Newcastle.”

Stats from BBC Sport:

Newcastle 1 Huddersfield 0

Goals:

Newcastle: Perez 80

Possession was Huddersfield 37% Newcastle 63%

Total shots were  Huddersfield 4 Newcastle 18

Shots on target were Huddersfield 0 Newcastle 3

Corners were  Huddersfield 3 Newcastle 3

Referee: Martin Atkinson

Newcastle United:

Dubravka, Yedlin, Lascelles, Lejeune, Dummett, Ritchie (Atsu 67), Shelvey, Diame (Hayden 79), Shelvey, Kenedy, Gayle (Slimani 75)

Unused Subs:

Darlow, Manquillo, Clark, Murphy

Crowd: 52,261 (3,000 Huddersfield)

(To read the instant NUFC fan/writer reaction to Newcastle 1 Huddersfield 0 go HERE)

(Despite not one effort on target David Wagner says Huddersfield didn’t deserve to lose! Read HERE)

(Rafa Benitez reaction to the win HERE)

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