Newcastle coasted to a 3-0 win over sorry Leicester on Monday to step up their Champions League charge and condemn the Foxes to an eighth straight Premier League defeat without scoring.
Eddie Howe’s men, still on a high after winning the League Cup last month, are up to fifth in the table, level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea but with a game in hand.
Fifth place will almost certainly be enough to secure a place in the Champions League next season after strong performances by English clubs in continental competition.
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But relegation for Ruud van Nistelrooy’s hapless team is all but certain after a solitary season in the Premier League.
The visitors were 2-0 up in the 11th minute after two goals from Jacob Murphy, the second a tap-in from close range after an audacious effort from Fabian Schar hit the crossbar, and Harvey Barnes added a third before half-time.
Leicester last scored a league goal in front of their own fans against Brighton on December 8 and they are the first side in football league history to lose eight home league games in a row without scoring a goal.
Newcastle boss Howe said his “biggest challenge” had been maintaining focus after the club ended their 56-year trophy drought in the League Cup final against Liverpool last month.
“I can’t compliment them enough,” he told the BBC.
“They are a very down to earth, humble group who want to do well and represent the club in the right way. They have shown that in the last few weeks.” Howe said the race for the Champions League was “going to hot up”. “The next week for us is a big week. We have three really tough games (against Manchester United, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa) and that will go a long way in seeing where we are at the end of the season.”
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– Murphy double –
Newcastle were ahead in the just second minute after Tino Livramento squared for Murphy to tap home after an attack down the left.
Minutes later time stood still as Schar, spotting goalkeeper Mads Hermansen off his line, nearly scored from his own half.
His effort cannoned off the crossbar but landed at the feet of Murphy, who was the only player to react.
The game was effectively over in the 34th minute when former Leicester player Barnes finished from close range after Hermansen saved from Joelinton, declining to celebrate.
Leicester were better in the second half but lacked bite.
The home fans had little to celebrate but cheered the entrance of 15-year-old Jeremy Monga late in the game as he became the second-youngest Premier League player.
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Howe has the chance to add gloss to a historic season by qualifying for the Champions League.
Newcastle have leapfrogged Manchester City but it is a tight battle for the top five — only six points separate third-placed Nottingham Forest from Aston Villa in seventh spot.
Van Nistelrooy arrived at the King Power Stadium in November after a spell as interim manager at Manchester United but results have nosedived after an encouraging start.
The Dutchman said his side were desperately short of confidence. “In the second half you can see when there is no pressure anymore it frees people up,” he told Sky Sports.
“Then you see some reasonable football. When the pressure is on it becomes very difficult. With an early couple of goals it collapses.”
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