Newcastle moved six points clear in the Championship league table, with victory over Cardiff.
However, things were not all plain sailing for Newcastle. After Neil Warnocks side pulled a goal back in contentious circumstances, they started to take the game to the home side.
Rafa Benitez’s side have received some criticism, with the main reason for the criticism being that many thought that complacency was the reason that Cardiff got back in to the game.
However, that may be an unfair criticism to level at the home side. Newcastle did struggle and in the eyes of many fans, that may not be acceptable at home to Cardiff but the level that we are playing at must always be considered.
Playing in the Championship you are always likely to encounter physicality and direct football and this was the main reason for Newcastle’s second half struggles.
If the referee allows people to commit fouls and the opposition play direct football, something that Cardiff did, then Newcastle must prepare themselves, be organised and defend well to see out results, which they did.
Suggesting that the weekends performance was in fact a good one.
