Burnley Cheer On Toon Victory

Last updated : 09 April 2018 By Footy Mad - Editor

Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez says his side are "nearly" safe from relegation after goals from Jonjo Shelvey and Ayoze Perez guided his side to victory at Leicester City - their third Premier League win in a row.

"We are closer [to safety]," said Benitez. "But we have to carry on."

Image result for Leicester 1 Newcastle 2The Magpies started the brighter at the King Power, and Shelvey's guided shot from outside the area opened the scoring after a deflection off Ben Chilwell.

Leicester felt they should have had a penalty before the break when Paul Dummett and Riyad Mahrez appeared to collide in the box.

But Spaniard Perez doubled the lead for Rafael Benitez's side 15 minutes from time with a delightful lob over Kasper Schmeichel.

Jamie Vardy grabbed a late goal from close range, but it proved to be only a consolation for the hosts.

Earlier, Harry Maguire appeared fortunate to remain on the pitch after putting his hands on the face of Newcastle's Dwight Gayle, but the England man was shown only a yellow card by referee Stuart Attwell.

Newcastle's victory, which followed back-to-back home wins against Southampton and Huddersfield, takes the Magpies up to 10th in the Premier League, 10 points clear of the bottom three.

However, this result, coupled with Burnley's win at Watford, was damaging for Leicester's hopes of qualifying for European competition in 2018-19. The Clarets have now opened up a six-point lead over the Foxes in seventh.

Defeat at the hands of Newcastle has put Leicester's season at risk of fizzling out.

Unless Southampton win the FA Cup, the seventh-placed team will qualify for the next season's Europa League.

Three straight wins for Benitez's side have turned a scrap to stay in the top flight into a concerted drive into the top half. And on form in 2018 Newcastle would qualify for Europe themselves as they are the 5th best "in form" club.

The Magpies have lost just two league games since the turn of the year - and those defeats came at free-scoring Manchester City and Liverpool.