On a day when Ipswich’s long, inevitable relegation was rubber stamped, normal service was resumed at Newcastle as Eddie Howe exchanged hospital grapes for his trademark managerial chewing gum and returned to the home technical area to see his side rise to third in thePremier League.
By the second half the after-effects of the pneumonia that had resulted inHowe missing Newcastle’s past three matchesand spending several nights in hospital were perhaps taking their toll as, unusually, he spent long periods sitting down in the dugout. Despite taking a bit of time to hit their stride, Howe’s players ultimately proved far too good for visitors reduced to 10 men by Ben Johnson’s 37th-minute dismissal.
Outside St James’ Park, Sir Bobby Robson’s statue looked resplendent, if a little over-dressed for the spring weather, in a half and half Ipswich/Newcastle scarf. The former England coach managed both clubs with distinction and would surely have admired several of the players on view here, Liam Delap included.
On Friday morning Howe had taken the unusual step of indulging in a mini ode to the Ipswich striker. In lavishing praise on a much coveted forward Newcastle’s manager was, not so subtly, reminding Delap he would be cherished on Tyneside next season.
Not that locals were too impressed when Delap swiftly used his power of acceleration to destabilise Dan Burn and unleashed a couple of decent shots. Newcastle had started slowly and, as Howe’s players became increasingly frustrated by Kieran McKenna’s low defensive block, home fans amused themselves by taunting Ipswich’s former Sunderland winger Jack Clarke.
Their mood improved when Bruno Guimarães thought he had bundled the ball over the line but only briefly. That effort was disallowed for the Brazilian’s foul on the visiting goalkeeper Alex Palmer, who, with Alexander Isak initially subdued, was not exerted as much as he might have expected. When two excellent chances finally fell the Sweden striker’s way, Isak, uncharacteristically, missed them.
Newcastle were missing Joelinton’s midfield dynamism and the bad news for Howe is that the Brazilian is due to see a knee specialist next week. He was replaced by Joe Willock here but Willock became distracted by an off-the-ball feud with Ipswich’s captain Sam Morsy.
It might not have been entirely surprising to see one of that duo sent off and, sure enough, the referee, Michael Salisbury, did reduce to Ipswich to 10 men but it was Ben Johnson who received his marching orders.
That sending off, for a second yellow card for tugging Isak back after Johnson had earlier been booked for simulation, only heightened the growing edginess between the teams.
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By now Sandro Tonali had seen a high-velocity volley rebound off the crossbar – small wonder Howe worries for his goalkeepers’ wrists when the Italy midfielder practises his shooting in training – and Burn and Delap were engaged in a running battle.
While those two soon found themselves both booked, Julio Enciso’s challenge on the once again impressive Jacob Murphy was, after a lengthy VAR review, deemed worthy of a penalty and Isak duly stepped forward to punish Palmer from 12 yards.
Burn doubled that lead with a second-half header prefaced by a smart short-corner routine between Murphy and the excellent Kieran Trippier, concluding with Trippier’s goal-creating cross.
The former England full-back was enjoying himself and it was from his corner that substitute Will Osula headed his first Premier League goal. As Ipswich head back to the Championship, Howe and Newcastle look Champions League bound.