50-goal Newcastle United legend identifies 'pivotal' moment in Champions League race

Newcastle United moved back into the Champions League places with a comfortable 4-1 home win against Manchester United on Sunday - and that left Magpies supporters to dream of a return to European football’s elite once again.

The Magpies had dropped to seventh place in the Premier League table ahead of their St James Park clash with the Red Devils after the likes of Aston Villa and Manchester City picked up maximum points on Saturday afternoon. Sunday got off to a good start for United as top five rivals Chelsea surprisingly dropped two points in their home draw with relegation threatened Ipswich Town and that meant the Magpies knew a win on home soil would lift them into fourth place in the table.

The game was level at half-time as Red Devils winger Alejandro Garnacho cancelled out an opener from Sandro Tonali - but there was only United that were in the game in the second-half as the Magpies produced a dominant display in the absence of manager Eddie Howe. With Jason Tindall and Graeme Jones directing proceedings from the touchline, Newcastle roared out of sight as a well-taken brace from Harvey Barnes and a goal from captain Bruno Guimaraes helped the Magpies complete their first league double over the Red Devils since the 1930/31 season.

Old Trafford legend Roy Keane believes Howe’s side are ‘in the driving seat’ in the race for the Champions League following their win over his old club - but it was one former St James Park favourite that took a more in-depth look at the race for the top five as Les Ferdinand pointed to one memorable moment that has boosted the belief Newcastle can return to European football’s top table.

“There’s a nice atmosphere around the place”

The former Magpies striker told Sky Sports: “When you look at the game left for them, it’s a tough run-in. They’ve still got to play Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton, and Aston Villa away as well. But the run of form they are in at the moment, I feel like it doesn’t matter who they come up against. They are very confident, there’s a good togetherness about this team and hopefully they can go on and get the results they need to get into that Champions League place.

“I always feel there are pivotal games in the season and I said that about the (Carabao) Cup final and felt if they won the cup final that would boost them to go on and look for that Champions League place. Although they were thinking about it, that game against Liverpool showed them they can play against these big sides and win the cup final. That gave everyone a boost and they said they were going to party here until the end of the season now they’ve won that cup. There’s a nice atmosphere around the place at the moment and the players are feeding off that.”

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