Crystal Palace 0 Newcastle United 2

Is the Championship an easy level for Newcastle? HAVE Newcastle suddenly become brilliant or is this season’s Championship just downright poor? The answer may only come in December when Chris Hughton’s side face Middlesbrough and Cardiff City – the other pacesetters in a division where Premier League failures like Fabricio Coloccini and Jonas Gutierrez perform like finely-tuned sportscars rather than the scrappage scheme candidates they resembled last year. This is a league where Hughton has emerged as a front-runner for Manager of the Month and Kevin Nolan scores goals with the aplomb of a young Robbie Fowler. In other words, a world away from last season’s nightmare campaign. The 3,500 Newcastle supporters at Selhurst Park weren’t complaining. The novelty of comfortable victories away from Tyneside makes a welcome change after the succession of fruitless trips they endured last year. The fans’ only fear is that Steven Taylor, whose name they chanted all afternoon, will leave the club this week. The Greenwich-born centre- half could be set for a return to London after Fulham emerged as rivals to Everton for the former England Under- 21 skipper’s signature. With the transfer window closing in a week, Newcastle are also bracing themselves for last minute bids for their Argentinian duo while Hull City and Burnley are targeting Joey Barton and Nicky Butt respectively. If three or four players are allowed to quit the club, Newcastle must bolster their squad quickly or a season that’s started at a gallop could become stagnant. The St James’ Park fax machine (haven’t football clubs heard of email?) could be working overtime this week. But such is the paucity of decent competition in this league that even if a few faces chose to jump ship, Newcastle should still secure an immediate return to the Premier League if they retain the core of the current side. Alan Smith, Jose Enrique, Steve Harper, Nolan and Shola Ameobi are proving to have few peers in this division. Crystal Palace possess some decent players of their own. Freddie Sears, on loan from West Ham, looked a very bright prospect in the top flight last season and former Magpie Darren Ambrose remains an accomplished performer. But while they created a handful of good chances on Saturday, Neil Warnock’s side were soundly beaten. Even the Eagles’ hot-headed manager could only manage a tame touchline cameo – berating the fourth official for a penalty decision that went against his side, as he and his players were cowed by their big-name opponents. After conceding two early goals, Palace seemed to go through the motions, keeping their powder dry for more winnable contests. Newcastle, however, are rapidly becoming the Manchester United of the Championship where teams seem starstruck by the millionaire Magpies and are half-beaten before the game kicks-off. Warnock was typically candid when identifying the gulf between the sides. “With that wage bill, Christ they are going to have some good players, aren’t they?” he noted. But Ambrose offered his former employees more fulsome praise. “They are the best team we have played this season,” admitted the winger who has scored four times this season. “The quality showed through really, especially the first half. But you can’t give a team of Newcastle’s quality a two-goal start and expect something from the game. “They played like a Premier League side. They didn’t rush. They weren’t physical. They relaxed on the ball and I think that showed in the whole game. I think they will go up automatically. “We have only played a few games but they have been the best team we have played so far. They have got some good players.” Andy Carroll’s failure to pass a fitness test had reduced Hughton’s squad to just one first team striker. But what had looked a toothless attack on paper – Ameobi supported by Nolan and Danny Guthrie – proved far too much for Palace’s hapless defence. Only 99 seconds had elapsed when Nolan slotted past Darryl Flahaven after Gutierrez had carved open the Eagles’ back four. Ryan Taylor curled home a cheeky left foot strike from 25 yards – a chance also set up by the Argentine winger whose passing was crisp and incisive all afternoon. Newcastle played large parts of the game as if it were a training pitch exercise such was their confidence and dominance in possession, Hughton and his assistant Colin Calderwood can be commended for bringing belief back to the squad where even the much- maligned Coloccini looked impressive when mopping up Palace’s fruitless long ball game. On current form, Newcastle look like they will be unstoppable. But, as is often the case, the source of their potential downfall lies within the club itself. If Mike Ashley off-loads too many players or appoints the wrong manager this week, then the season could take a downward turn. Hughton would be advised to unplug the owner’s fax machine for the next seven days, at least. Match facts Goals: 0-1: Nolan (2, slotted low past Flahavan after Gutierrez’ pass opened up the home defence) 0-2: R Taylor (21, controlled Gutirrez’ lay-off and hit a dipping left foot drive high into the net) Bookings: Hill (43, foul); McCarthy (64, foul), Lee (79, foul) Referee: Andy D’Urso (Billericay) – despite Warnock’s usual complaints the ref got most calls spot on 6 Attendance: 20,643 Entertainment: ✰✰✰ NEWCASTLE UNITED (4-5-1): 6 Harper: A couple of great blocks showed he was equal to the best that Palace could throw at him 6 Simpson: Rarely caught the eye but settling in nicely at right back 8 Coloccini: The centre half never looked this good in the Premier League 7 S Taylor: Cheered throughout by fans desperate for him to stay 7 Enrique: Another low-key but highly effective performance from the Spaniard 8 R Taylor: A magnificent strike capped his best performance in a Newcastle shirt 8 Smith: There can’t be a better defensive midfielder playing in the Championship 7 Guthrie: Ably supported Ameobi in attack to cover for the lack of strikers 8 GUTIERREZ: Looked every inch an Argentina international, hardly put a foot wrong all day 7 Nolan: Ran himself ragged closing down in midfield and could have scored a brace 6 Ameobi: Blazed one early chance wide but rarely looked like continuing his scoring spree Subs: Butt (for R Taylor 65): Edging back to full match fitness 5 Ranger (for Guthrie 65): His pace pressed the Eagles back 6 Geremi for Gutierrez 89 (not used): Krul(gk), Kadar, Xisco, LuaLua CRYSTAL PALACE (4-4-2): Flahavan 5, McCarthy 4, Fonte 4, Butterfield 4, Hill 5, Derry 5, AMBROSE 6, N’Diaye 6, Danns 5 (Scannell 68,5), Sears 6 (Moses 67, 5) Lee 6 (not used): Cyne, Ertl, Lawrence, Carle, Djilali MAN OF THE MATCH JONAS Gutierrez – set up both goals and gave a masterclass in passing and movement

Source: Northern_Echo