Jacob Murphy’s lightning double helps Newcastle blow away flimsy Leicester | Premier League

For Newcastle United, the comedown can wait. Eddie Howe’s side jumped to fifth in the Premier League to intensify their push for the Champions League after dismantling a sorry Leicester City.

Newcastle’s business was in effect complete after 34 minutes, courtesy of two goals by Jacob Murphy and one from Harvey Barnes. For Leicester, it is now a record eight home defeats in a row without scoring and 15 losses in their past 16 league matches. The statistics do not bode well for Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Undoubtedly the most enjoyable moment from a Leicester perspective was the arrival of the 15-year-old Jeremy Monga, a bright prospect attracting interest from the elite who juggles school with first-team training. The youngster, wearing the No 93, made his debut in a shirt without a sponsor owing to Leicester’s partnership with BC Game, a betting company. It was either that or the opportunity to relive the golden years by singing Barnes’s name after he made it game, set and match.

As Newcastle’s supporters sang of Barcelona and Bayern Munich, Leicester fans faced up to the reality of trips to Preston and Portsmouth. They have known for a while. Judging by the swathes of empty seats, many locals voted with their feet. Others have long since checked out. Leicester could be relegated as early as Easter Sunday, when they host Liverpool. With 11 minutes of the first-half remaining, it felt plausible that Newcastle could chalk up their biggest Premier League win, eclipsing an 8-0 victory over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane 18 months ago.

Leicester’s “Foxes never quit” motto was again under the microscope early on. Last Wednesday it was Jack Grealish after 70 seconds and this time Leicester’s defence held out that little bit longer, with Murphy scoring his first goal with 115 seconds played. Jamie Vardy had prompted Nick Pope into action inside 11 seconds, lashing at goal after a direct move, but from there it was simply a matter of how many Newcastle would finish up with. With 34 minutes on the clock, Newcastle led 3-0 and the first wave of those Leicester supporters who bothered to attend headed for the exits.

By then it was already apparent that the only way Leicester would strike would be owing to a Newcastle mistake. The visitors mauled them in midfield, with Sandro Tonali, Joelinton and Bruno Guimarães overpowering Wilfred Ndidi and Boubakary Soumaré.

Newcastle profited there to score their first, Guimarães too strong for Ndidi, Joelinton keeping Soumaré at arm’s length and Barnes spying Tino Livramento storming forward on the overlap. Livramento sent the ball towards the back post and Murphy side-footed in. For the 26th time in 31 matches this season, Leicester had conceded the first goal.

Leicester were so brittle it seemed feasible Newcastle could score with every attack. The second goal stemmed from Fabian Schär, confident after cleanly dispossessing Vardy, cracking the crossbar with a shot from inside his own half. Schär’s effort cannoned towards Murphy, who could even afford a rusty first touch. The ball bobbled off his left knee but he soon applied the finish. “You’re not fit to wear the shirt,” came the chant from the increasingly apathetic home support. The worrying thing for Leicester was Alexander Isak was yet to have a sniff.

It did not take long for that moment to arrive, Isak blasting against the side netting. Barnes then saw an effort deflected wide after Newcastle again made light work of hurdling Leicester’s midfield. Bilal El Khannouss tested Pope from a tight angle after a rare Leicester attack but Newcastle responded by adding a third. Barnes started and finished the move, dribbling diagonally across the pitch with conviction. Joelinton then took over the baton and chopped inside Wout Faes before forcing Mads Hermansen into a save. Barnes was alive in the box to dispatch the rebound.

Leicester adopted damage-limitation mode at the Etihad Stadium but at half-time here Van Nistelrooy’s changes at least appeared positive, with Facundo Buonanotte and Stephy Mavididi entering in place of Patson Daka and Victor Kristiansen. Livramento went on a driving run which culminated in James Justin being booked but Leicester created the first notable opening of the second half, Vardy fluffing a shot after meeting El Khannouss’s cross. Newcastle grew a little lax – as if they had privately declared – but Leicester could not punish them.