Jamie Carragher paid Newcastle United the ultimate compliment when the Liverpool legend said the Magpies were playing 'like Atletico Madrid in the last 10 minutes' against Chelsea. Was it any wonder when former Atleti defender Kieran Trippier was guiding his team-mates over the line at St James' Park on Saturday evening?
Trippier repeatedly pointed to his temples in the closing stages, reminding those around him to stay switched on, as the hosts closed in on a 1-0 win. The pain of conceding a late suckerpunch at Anfield earlier this season was no doubt still fresh in the England international's mind and lessons were clearly learned that night.
It was after that 2-1 defeat that Eddie Howe lamented how his side 'needed to manage that last bit better' after Liverpool substitute Fabio Carvalho struck a 98th-minute winner following some tired defending from his side. Perhaps, tellingly, that remains the last time Newcastle have dropped points from a winning position this season.
