Newcastle United striker Joelinton won a penalty and scored a first-half header in a 3-0 thrashing of Leicester City to lift his side to second in the Premier League on Monday. Leicester defender Daniel Amartey got off to a terrible start to the game for the hosts, awarding Newcastle a penalty when he knocked down Joelinton after 86 seconds, and striker Chris Wood firing the penalty into the center of the net.
It was a welcome goal for the 31-year-old New Zealander, who played for Leicester from 2013-15 and was only in the team as Callum Wilson was ruled out due to illness.
Newcastle’s great start continued as Miguel Almiron added a brilliant second in the seventh minute by cutting in from the right before playing a one-two with Bruno Guimaraes and passing the back pass at the near post.
Despite the return of league football after the World Cup break, there was little Christmas cheer for the home fans as Joelinton made it 3-0 in the 32nd minute when Boubakary Soumare was caught watching a ball at a corner and the Brazilian headed home .
In one of the home side’s few attacking moments in the first half, Leicester’s Zambian striker Patson Daka had a penalty rejected after colliding with keeper Nick Pope, but all too often the striker’s decision-making failed him.
Jamie Vardy’s introduction at half-time gave Leicester’s attack a point of focus that was sorely lacking in the first half, but Newcastle’s well-organized defense limited them to long range shots that were easily handled.
Newcastle moved above Manchester City, who play against Leeds United on Wednesday, to second place with 33 points, four behind leaders Arsenal, who face West Ham United later on Monday. Leicester are 13th with 17 points.
Ait Nouri gives Wolves the last breath at Everton
Five minutes into stoppage time, Rayan Ait Nouri grabbed the winner as Wolverhampton pushed Wanderers off the table with a 2-1 win over Everton in manager Julen Lopetegui’s first Premier League game on Monday. Ait Nouri scored from close range at the back post after a quick break from the visitors to unleash wild celebrations from the players and bench, and Frank Lampard’s wrestlers left the Goodison Park pitch to get angry.
Wolves climbed two places to 18th with 13 points from 16 games, one place and one point behind Everton, who are now in free fall after a six-week break in the Premier League pre-World Cup season.
Everton were in front within seven minutes with their first goal from a corner kick of the entire season. Dwight McNeil swung into the set piece and an unmarked Yerry Mina headed in his first Premier League goal in two years. But Wolves hit back midway through the first half with a well-worked corner of their own that allowed Joao Moutinho to clip the ball to the back post and Daniel Podence provided a neat volley.
The late winner from Ait Nouri came against the game as the home side pushed for victory, but Wolves hosts Manchester United and Everton travel to Manchester City in their next fixtures on Saturday.
Fulham passed the nine-man Palace
Fulham earned a 3-0 win against Crystal Palace on Monday to move up to eighth in the Premier League after the hosts sent two players off.
Bobby De Corvoda-Reid, Tim Ream and Aleksandar Mitrovic were on target for Fulham. Palace had Tyrick Mitchell sent off in the first half and James Tomkins followed him through the tunnel in the second half after a second yellow card.
The win took Fulham to 22 points after 16 games, while Palace are 11th on 19 points after 15 games. Palace striker Jordan Ayew hit the crossbar on the first big chance of the match. Fulham then struck, De Cordova-Reid firing in a cross from Mitrovic after a sloppy pass from Joachim Andersen was intercepted.
Moments later, Palace’s fortunes were further unraveled when Mitchell received a straight red card for a reckless tackle on Kenny Tete. Tomkins’ second yellow card came for knocking over Mitrovic.
Fulham took full advantage of having two extra players as Ream doubled their lead by scoring his first Premier League goal at the age of 35.
Mitrovic then got the reward his action-packed performance deserved, heading in a cross from Willian in the 80th minute to take his tally to 10 league goals for the season.
Brighton provisionally moved to sixth place with a 3-1 win over Southampton
Brighton & Hove Albion moved provisionally to sixth in the Premier League standings after beating Southampton 3-1 in a riveting Boxing Day.
A header from Adam Lallana and a stunning long-range strike from Solly March, along with Romain Perraud’s own goal, helped Brighton take their points tally to 24 – two more than seventh-placed Liverpool who later play at Aston Villa.
Brighton took the lead in the 15th minute when Lallana scored against his former club after connecting with March’s cross and firing his header into the net as goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu made an easy save.
The visitors doubled their lead in the 35th minute after defender Perraud put the ball into his own net trying to clear a cross from Pervis Estupinan.
March made it 3-0 in the 55th minute with a sensational effort from outside the box, after hitting in from the right for a brilliant solo move. Brighton could have scored a fourth goal soon after, but Kaoru Mitoma’s header went wide.
In the 73rd minute, Southampton were awarded a penalty for Pascal Gross’ foul on Samuel Edozie and although James Ward-Prowse’s penalty was saved by keeper Robert Sanchez, the Southampton captain nodded in the rebound.