Allan Saint-Maximin came off the bench to lead Newcastle to a 2-1 win over Burnley on Sunday, moving the team six points clear of the Premier League relegation zone. Newcastle seemed uninspired after falling behind to Matej Vydra’s first-half goal before Steve Bruce introduced Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson in the 57th minute. Read more about Burnley v/s Newcastle match below.
Steve Bruce’s side finished second best to a well-drilled Burnley side. They took the lead in the first half by Matej Vydra after outstanding work by Chris Wood. However, after the visitors’ penalty challenge for James Tarkowski’s high foot on Sean Longstaff was denied by the video assistant referee, the game shifted in their favor with Saint-second-half Maximin’s arrival.
Wilson made his first start since February 6. With the Magpies going winless when their top scorer was out with a hamstring injury. It was Saint-Maximin who did the damage at Turf Moor.
Within two minutes of his debut, the Frenchman, who has only made 18 league appearances this season due to sickness and injury, dashed into the penalty box. He drew three defenders before bringing the ball back for Jacob Murphy to score.
Burnley was on the verge of extending their lead when Callum Wilson, a French winger and forward, came off the bench after 57 minutes.
Bailey Peacock-Farrell, who was filling in for the injured Nick Pope in the Burnley goal, had had a pretty quiet afternoon up until that time. Five minutes later he was pulling the ball out of the net again. Saint-Maximin charged from the halfway line and found the bottom corner.
It was a stunning reversal. Newcastle had been second best for nearly an hour. And it has the potential to change the course of their season.
The victory ended Bruce’s team’s seven-game winless streak, and the second-half performance provided a route map out of trouble.
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