Matt Ritchie was the picture of passion for Newcastle United on Saturday as the Magpies took a big step toward Premier League survival.
Newcastle United moved five points clear of the relegation zone on Saturday with a massive 3-0 win over Southampton at St James’s Park.
A first-half double from January signing Kenedy helped Newcastle into a 2-0 half-time lead.
Matt Ritchie, a £12 million signing in 2016, then struck a third within 12 minutes of the restart to effectively kill off Southampton’s hopes of leaving the North-East with anything.
It has been a worry-filled season for the Magpies, who have been in and around the danger zone for most of it, but that victory would have been a huge relief.
Rafael Benitez’s side can’t crack open the champagne yet, but they can bask in the knowledge that they took a big step toward safety and the passion – and relief – was evident in their goalscoring celebrations.
Find a match gallery below.
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