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    *   An excellent win for Newcastle before their return to London on Sunday, made better by the fact that it was a very average performance.
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    *   Guimaraes wrestles Bowen to the ground inside Newcastle’s box. The home crowd erupt with fury, but both referee and VAR are unmoved. I think it was just about the right call. It was a nudge, rather than a shove. Something that Graeme Souness would call “good defending”.
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    *   Newcastle are up to sixth with that win, level on points with City. Fifth place, remember, might be enough for Champions League qualification. Forget the performance, that’s a massive result for Eddie Howe and co.
*    Guimaraes wrestles Bowen to the ground inside Newcastle’s box. The home crowd erupt with fury, but both referee and VAR are unmoved. I think it was just about the right call. It was a nudge, rather than a shove. Something that Graeme Souness would call “good defending”.

**Half-time reading:**

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