If Paul Gascoigne is impressed, you know you’ve done something right.
Paul Gascoigne will have scored, created or merely witnessed a fair few decent strikes in his illustrious career, so it will take something special for him to describe it as ‘phenomenal’ – but Newcastle’s sublime team goal against Ipswich Town is worthy of the word, The Chronicle reports.
Just 59 seconds into Newcastle’s Championship clash with The Tractor Boys at St James’ Park, Ayoze Perez thumped the hosts into the lead and set them on their way to a comfortable 3-0 win.
However, this was no ordinary goal. After all, how many times does a team fall behind in a game without even touching the ball?
From kick-off to the bottom corner, via 23 passes, each and every Newcastle player and, of course, a magnificent Jonjo Shelvey diagonal.
Labelling it a goal worthy of Barcelona may be pushing the envelope ever so slightly but few other teams in Championship history could have produced a move of such class.
Needless to say, one of the most gifted footballers of his, or any generation, was rather impressed.
“The goal they scored against Ipswich was phenomenal, 20-odd passes and then bang – goal,” Gascoigne gushed to The Chronicle.
Despite suffering a humiliating relegation just a few months ago, there has rarely been such a sense of positivity around St James’ Park, with Rafael Benitez’s side cruising at the top of the Championship.
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