The 23-year-old American right-back played 75 minutes on his first Championship start for the Magpies as they drew 1-1 at Villa Park on Saturday.
Newcastle United defender DeAndre Yedlin produced arguably his best performance in English football to date on Saturday evening as Rafa Benitez’s men came away from their trip to Aston Villa with a 1-1 draw.
The 23-year-old American joined the Magpies from Tottenham Hotspur last month for a reported £5 million fee after spending the 2015-16 season on loan at Sunderland, but it was not until Tuesday night’s 2-0 EFL Cup win over Wolverhampton Wanderers that he made his first start for the club.
With Vurnon Anita out suspended, though, the 40-time capped US international retained his place at right-back for the match at Villa Park and promptly showcased the promise that convinced Spurs to acquire his services from the Seattle Sounders back in the summer of 2014.
| Vs Aston Villa | Total Shots | Shots Ontarget | Key Passes | Total Passes | Passing Accuracy | Total Crosses | Accurate Crosses | Total Dribbles | Touches | Dispossessed | Mins Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeAndre Yedlin | 1 | 0 | 2 | 47 | 72% | 3 | 0 | 5 | 82 | 1 | 75 |
As well as causing plenty of problems for the opposition defence with his blistering pace, the speedy defender linked up superbly with Matt Ritchie down the flank and helped his side take the lead in the 28th minute when he burst behind the hosts’ backline and sent a low cross into the box.
The delivery could not quite reach Dwight Gayle at the near post, but its accuracy did force Villa skipper Tommy Elphick to turn the ball into his own net after goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini failed to react in time.
The former MLS All-Star enjoyed plenty of other good moments going forward on the day, completing a team-leading five dribbles in the process, but he also impressed defensively despite being predominately known as an attack-minded full-back.
A committed clearance shortly after the hour mark saw him require treatment after clashing heads with Jordan Ayew in the box, while he also recorded three tackles, four recoveries and won 10 duels over the course of the match.
| Vs Aston Villa | Total Tackles | Total Clearances | Duels Won | Duels Lost | Aerial Duels Won | Aerial Duels Lost | Ball Recoveries | Mins Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeAndre Yedlin | 3 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 75 |
His game ultimately ended early after he was forced off with an apparent knee injury in the 75th minute before Aaron Tshibola went on to grab a late equaliser for Villa, but the former Sunderland loanee can certainly take heart from his performance despite the disappointing finish.
Whether he will be fit enough to contend for a third straight start come Wednesday night’s home game against Norwich City now remains to be seen, but it will not be long before he is a regular fixture in Benitez’s first-choice line-up if Saturday’s display was anything to go by.
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