Leicester 0 – 3 Newcastle

Newcastle moved second in the Premier League after a blistering first-half performance saw them win 3-0 at Leicester following the World Cup break as Miguel Almiron hit his ninth goal of the season.

The Magpies scored all three goals in the first 32 minutes in a Boxing Day victory that puts them a point above Manchester City and four points behind leaders Arsenal, although both sides have two games in hand.

Newcastle were 2-0 up after seven minutes at the King Power Stadium thanks to Chris Wood’s penalty (3) and Almiron’s cool finish (7) giving him his eighth goal in his last nine Premier League games.

Joelinton then headed in a third from a corner (32) to put the game beyond the Foxes and record a sixth successive Premier League win – their best run since 2012.

Defeat for Leicester ends their four-game winning run in all competitions as they remain 13th.

How Newcastle picked up where they left off

It had been 45 days since both sides were in Premier League action but the two teams had warmed up nicely for the festive fixture in the East Midlands, having won their midweek Carabao Cup fourth-round ties to then be drawn against each other in the quarter-finals.

But Leicester, who were once again without the injured James Maddison due to a new knee injury, were caught cold as Daniel Amartey brought down Joelinton after just 90 seconds to give the visitors a penalty.

Wood, deputising for the unwell Callum Wilson, hammered home from the spot to give Newcastle a third-minute lead.

Four minutes later, Almiron added a second in sublime fashion as he played a lovely one-two with Bruno Guimaraes and then beautifully slotted past Danny Ward to continue his outstanding form this season.

Leicester’s only real chance of the game came in the 22nd minute as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall played through Patson Daka but he was denied by the on-rushing Nick Pope with Sven Botman clearing the rebound off the line.

Joelinton’s 32nd-minute header from Kieran Trippier’s corner then completed the first-half demolition job for Newcastle, who have now suffered just one defeat in their opening 19 games in all competitions.

Howe: Fans dreaming about what we can achieve

Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe on a potential title challenge:

“My attitude won’t change to that. I have no problems with the supporters dreaming and talking and speculating about what we can achieve and no doubt the media will, I can’t control that.

“The only think we need to be mindful of internally is just focus on what we can control and our own thoughts and actions and how we train and how we prepare. And not look too far ahead and not listen to too much news and media and just focus on our training and make sure we focus on it game by game.

“This is the toughest league in the world for a reason and our opposition no doubt will be watching us and preparing for us, so we have to be ready.”

On the performance, Howe added: “I’d say the performance was up there when you consider the opposition and the game and the break and everything that has gone into to preparing (for) this game.

“To start in the manner we did was hugely important. Credit to the players for how they have attacked their game.

“We scored some very good goals and the general mentality of the group was very, very good after the break.

“Today was a big test for us and (I’m) delighted (with) how the players started.”

Rodgers: Maddison’s knee injury has worsened

Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers on Maddison’s injury:

“Sadly he is not near to playing yet he was out to the grass this morning, but he was still feeling pain in his knee.

“I’ll speak to the medical team in the morning and see what the timeline on it might be.

“It’s a different part of a knee, he has had it around the back of the knee, now he is feeling it around the front part. I need to listen to experts and the medical people on this and take it from there.

“This has come indirectly from maybe having issues while he was away, he is just feeling something on the front of his knee that the medics are just trying to get to the bottom of.”

Fantasy Premier League stats

Player of the match – Joelinton

Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes both starred for Newcastle in the 3-0 win but the former just edges out his fellow Brazilian for his goal and assist.

Joelinton started and finished the victory as he won the crucial penalty for Wood’s opener and then headed in the third to make the win safe.

Opta stats: Leicester’s Boxing Day woes continue

• Leicester City conceded three goals in the first half of a Premier League home game for the first time since September 2003 versus Man Utd.
• Leicester City have lost seven of their last nine league games on Boxing Day (W1 D1), conceding 15 goals in their last four such matches combined.
• Newcastle have won six in a row in the Premier League for the first time since March/April 2012 under Alan Pardew. In fact, Newcastle United have won 21 Premier League matches in 2022, their most in a single year since 1995, when they won 23.
• Chris Wood scored his fifth Premier League goal against his former side Leicester City – only against West Ham (7) and Wolves (6) has he netted more in the competition.

What’s next?

Leicester go to Anfield on Friday night to face Liverpool with the game live on Sky Sports from 7.30pm; kick-off 8pm.

The Foxes then host Fulham on January 3 in a 7.45pm kick-off followed by an away trip to League Two relegation strugglers Gillingham in the third round of the FA Cup on January 7.

Newcastle host Leeds on New Year’s Eve at 3pm before a trip to Premier League leaders Arsenal on January 3, which is live on Sky Sports from 7.30pm; kick-off 7.45pm.

Eddie Howe’s side then face League One high-flyers Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough in the FA Cup third round on January 7.