PODCASTS are the new football conversation centres and in the build up to the visit of a doomed Southampton I ventured: "If Newcastle get it right they win."
For the first 45 minutes they most certainly failed to get it right playing without pace and pressing and were trailing 1-0. Shock, sensation. However in the next session United thankfully got it exactly right and won by a country mile 3-1.
United ended up the saints and Southampton the sinners as the Toon yet again confirmed an unbelievable charge on the Champions League racking up an eighth victory from their last nine games while defeating doomed long distance travellers for the fourth time this epic season.
READ MORE: Eddie Howe 'delighted' with Anthony Gordon as he explains half-time Newcastle substitution
The records keeping tumbling down like confetti on a wedding day _ the Magpies completed a week of sheer joy with three victories, nine points, 13 goals scored, and third top place retained.
Two players epitomised what was wrong about Newcastle first-half and what was right the second. If Alexander Isak was deemed not up to speed to start in a high pressing, all action team when he first arrived then Anthony Gordon is currently suffering from the same demise.
He looked unfit to meet United's demands, easily bullied off the ball, and gasping to live in rarefied air. Not surprisingly with Callum Wilson an imposing figure on the subs' bench Gordon was hooked at half-time and United's No.9 went on to score another brace and completely turn the tide in Newcastle's favour.
That second-half also proved another thing apart from the fact that Wilson is a natural centre-forward predator notching his 14th and 15th goals on the season. It proved what I and thousands of other Geordies have been banging on about _ Wilson and Isak can play together.
There was no need for Eddie Howe to change his favoured tactical formation which has stood him in such great stead. Wilson is an orthodox line leader who plays mostly between the posts and Isak has the ability to operate wide on the left. He is king of the assists as well as a goalscorer in his own right.
Wilson's 45-minute impact was startling. He scored twice, had another ruled out by VAR for offside after a ridiculously unnecessary long wait, and struck the crossbar.
I know he has famously done it before but how does Eddie leave out either Wilson or Isak when Arsenal come up here for a top three showdown? We are lucky to have the pair of them...and a few others as well!
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