Match ratings: How did Newcastle United's players rate in FA Cup win?

Rafa Benitez's Magpies cruised to a 3-1 win over Birmingham City to seal their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

But how did the players rate?

Matt Ritchie.placeholder image
Matt Ritchie.

NUFC XI

Matz Sels - Could do very little about the goal. A solid return between the sticks... 7

DeAndre Yedlin - Gave United a real outlet down the right in the opening 45 with one or two lung-busting runs... 6

Grant Hanley - Solid and dependable, one or two crunching challenges early on... 6

Stuart Findlay - Could not fault the youngster on debut... 6

Achraf Lazaar - One of the stand out players on the night. Excellent going forward and at the back... 7

Matt Ritchie - Took his penalty expertly and could have easily had a second but for the post... 7

Jonjo Shelvey - You can see just why NUFC have missed him. Ran the game as if he had never been away... 8

Cheick Tiote - Worked hard but struggled to keep up with the pace of the game... 6

Dan Barlaser - Completed the full 90. Showed some flashes of promise. Did the simple things well... 7

Yasin El-Mhanni - Tightly marked. Got little chance to show his set of skills... 6

Yoan Gouffran - Looked totally at home in a central striking role... 7

Subs

Ayoze Perez (for El-Mhanni, 69) Little chance to impress... 6

Isaac Hayden (for Yedlin 74) Put himself about when United needed to get a grip on the game... 6

Jack Colback (for Tiote 83) N/A

Subs not used: Rob Elliot, Paul Dummett, Jamaal Lascelles, Daryl Murphy.

Yellow: Tiote 67

Red: None

Goal(s): Ritchie 9

Birmingham XI: Adam Lezdins 6, Jonathan Grounds 6, Paul Robinson 6, Ryan Shotton 6, Maikel Kieftenbeld (Diego Fabrini, 80,N/A) 6, Robert Tesche 6, David Cotterill 6, Che Adams 6, Viv Solomon-Otabor (Lukas Jutkiewicz 64, 6) 6, Josh Dacres-Cogley 6, David Davis (Reece Brown 64, 6) 6.

Subs not used: Tomasz Kuszczak, Michael Morrison, Jonathan Spector, Stephen Gleeson.

Yellow: Legzdins

Red: None

Goal(s): Cotterill 72

Referee: Lee Probert - Called the penalty right. Had very little else to do... 7

Attendance: 34, 896

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