Nine-man Newcastle 'put bodies on the line' to hang on for massive three points

Ireland's Hendrick sent off as Steve Bruce's side edge Southampton

AL IN: Newcastle's Paraguayan midfielder Miguel Almiron goes down under the challenge of Southampton's Nathan Redmond in the thriller at St James' Park. Steve Bruce's nine men hung on for a crucial three points. 

Premier League: Newcastle 3 Southampton 2.

WHEN Ralph Hasenhuttl demanded a response to Southampton's nine-goal mauling by Manchester United, it's unlikely he envisaged it would resemble a 21st-century version of the Keystone Cops.

The Saints sat top of the Premier League after beating Newcastle in November, but their season is swiftly unravelling following a fifth consecutive defeat after they were unable to find a way past opponents who saw out the final 15 minutes with nine men.

"Maybe were were still in shock from Tuesday night," reflected the Austrian, who conceded his side deserved nothing from this breathless encounter. He added: "Defensively we weren't good enough and in some moments, we looked not very committed or organised."

Joe Willock's previous Premier League goal had arrived in Arsenal's 2-0 victory over the south-coast club in July, and it took the on-loan forward just 16 minutes to open his Newcastle account against the same opponents.

Allan Saint Maximin got the better of Jan Bednarek down the left, and the Frenchman's inviting cut-back was swept home from a dozen yards by the 11th player to score on their Premier League debut for the Geordies.

The hapless Bednarek had scored an own goal, been sent off and conceded a penalty in the Old Trafford humiliation. In another display to forget, the Polish defender inadvertently deflected Miguel Almiron's driven effort past Alex McCarthy at his near post, with the South American claiming the goal. Once again, the impressive Saint-Maximin had been the line of supply.

Danny Ings wasted two presentable half chances, with Karl Darlow saving the forward's angled drive before Southampton's top scorer was unable to gain enough purchase on an unmarked header as the visitors showed signs of a revival.

That was underlined when Takumi Minamino became the second debutant to find the net. The Liverpool loan midfielder halved the deficit in stunning style, his right footed touch in the area from a Ryan Bertrand pass taking him past Isaac Hayden before a sweetly-stuck left foot shot beat Darlow at his near post on the half hour.

That growing momentum was brought to an unceremonious halt thanks to more calamitous defending deep into first-half stoppage time.

McCarthy's hospital pass from the back was intercepted by Almiron before reaching its intended target of Bertrand, and with the goalkeeper hopelessly out of position, the Newcastle forward restored the two-goal advantage by finding the bottom corner with a calm finish.

It meant the Saints had shipped 12 goals in a game and a half - as many as they had conceded in the previous two months - and Jonjo Shelvey should have pushed that higher when the midfielder sliced horribly wide from a Joelinton centre straight after the restart.

It proved a pivotal passage of play as within moments James Ward-Prowse curled Southampton's second goal into the top corner from almost 30 yards after a foul on Che Adams.

The contest took another significant swing towards the visitors within 60 seconds when Republic of Ireland midfielder Jeff Hendrick earned a second yellow card for a needless tug of Minamino's shirt to leave the hosts at a numerical disadvantage for all but five minutes of the second period. 

"Jeff should know better," reflected Steve Bruce. "He left us with a difficult afternoon."

After a second win in three games, the Newcastle manager added: "We put our bodies in the way and got our blocks in and I couldn't be more pleased with the win. A mate of mine said when I took the job it should come with a health warning, and this game probably summed that up."

Ings' shot from Nathan Redmond cut-back struck the post as Newcastle somehow held on. They negotiated the final 15 minutes with nine men after Fabian Schar was carried off with a knee injury after the introduction of all three substitutes, two of those after top scorer Callum Wilson and defender Javier Manquillo both limped off before half-time. "We made two half chances against nine men," added Hasenhuttl. "For that, we deserve criticism."

*Keith Bishop, Newcastle owner Mike Ashley's PR consultant, was taken to hospital for treatment after suffering a head injury in a fall when taking his seat in the main stand for the second-half at St James' Park.

NEWCASTLE (4-2-3-1): Darlow 7; Manquillo 6 (Krafth 24, 6), Hayden 6, Schar 6, Lewis 4; Hendrick 2, Shelvey 4; Almiron 8, Willock 8, Saint-Maximin 8 (Dummett 67, 7); Wilson 6 (Joelinton 36, 5).

SOUTHAMPTON (4-4-2): McCarthy 4; Stephens 5 (N'Lundulu 81, 6), Vestergaard 6, Bednarek 3, Bertrand 6; Minamino 7, Ward-Prowse 7, Romeu 6, Redmond 7; Adams 6, Ings 6.

Referee: Craig Pawson