Lascelles’ header downs Swansea, as Burnley compound Palace’s woes

Newcastle United made it back-to-back wins in the Premier League thanks to a superb Jamaal Lascelles header which earned them a hard-fought 0-1 win over Swansea at the Liberty stadium.

The only goal of the match came through Lascelles well directed header in the 76th minute, off a Matt Ritchie corner.

The Magpies last won at the Liberty Stadium five years ago, and their task of changing that was made even more difficult with the absence of manager, Rafa Benitez, who missed the game due to an operation.

After a very dull goalless first half, dominated by the hosts, the game came to life in the second half with the visitors finally coming into the game.

But the Swans regained control of the game, but failed to make it count as they didn’t create any real opportunities.

However, midway through the second half, it was the Magpies who broke the deadlock through captain Lascelles, who had earlier denied Swansea and real opportunity when he brilliantly cleared a Tammy Abraham effort off the line, after the youngster had rounded goalkeeper, Rob Elliot.

Ritchie floated in a corner, which Lascelles met after towering above everyone to head past Fabianski in goal and hand Newcastle a 1-0 lead they’d hang on to for their second consecutive win of the season.

“They mark zonally and I prefer to go up against that,” match winner, Lascelles said moments after the game.

“Matt’s deliveries are always on a plate and I just had to head it in. It was a great team performance – the same mentality as against West Ham. We’ve set the standard and we need to keep it up.”

The wins moves Newcastle to 10th on the log, while Swansea drop to 15th.

Elsewhere, in the match played earlier at Turf Moor, Chris Wood latched on to a horrible mistake by Lee to give Burnley a 1-0 home win over Crystal Palace, whose struggles under new manager, Frank de Boer.