Ayoze Pérez has scored a goal for Newcastle United! Assist by S. Rondón.
It's a fitting assist for Rondon who has been so influential in that attacking fluency for the hosts today. Cardiff haven't been at the races enough to truly threaten once they went behind.
PEREZ MAKES IT THREE! 3-0! Newcastle put the icing on the cake as Rondon weaves himself into the left of the box and squares it to the Spaniard to tap in past Etheridge. What a showing from the Magpies today.
90' +1
Hoilett drifts a low ball towards the bottom right corner from the left edge of the box, just hooking it beyond the goal and Reid in pursuit.
90'
There will be a minimum of five added minutes at St James' Park.
89'
D. Ward enters the game and replaces C. Paterson.
Cardiff make their final change with Ward on for Paterson.
87'
Manga and Paterson cancel each other out as they go chasing a corner with a pair of headers each and watch it drift by for a goal-kick.
85'
Javier Manquillo enters the game and replaces M. Ritchie.
Newcastle make their first swap of the match, introducing Manquillo for Ritchie.
83'
Atsu! Rondon and Perez release their team-mate on a lovely run down the centre channel that he finishes with a shot whacked over the crossbar.
82'
J. Murphy enters the game and replaces N. Mendez-Laing.
Cardiff make their second change, bringing on Murphy for Mendez-Laing.
81'
Bennett heads the set-piece out for a throw-in and, from that, Etheridge collects the tame follow-up efforts calmly.
Minute
Description
79'
Yedlin scythes down the right flank once more and turns a cut-back in for Rondon. Manga smothers the shot and it will be a Magpies corner.
77'
It's another disappointing set-piece from Cardiff and Newcastle neutralise the immediate threat. Time is running out for the visitors to stage a remarkable comeback.
75'
Ritchie turns a Mendez-Laing cross out for a corner now following a Cardiff break, though play is paused for Hayden to get treatment in midfield after he went down in the build-up.
73'
Perez releases Yedlin down the right flank and the latter tucks a cross into the box behind Bamba, only to be flagged for offside.
72'
A lovely throughball releases Reid into the right side of the Newcastle box but his cross to Paterson is blocked by Schar, rolling out for a corner. The Magpies withstand the first set-piece and a follow-up too in clinical, calm fashion.
64'
B. De Cordova-Reid enters the game and replaces O. Niasse.
Cardiff make their first change of the game, replacing Niasse with Reid in response.
63'
F. Schär has scored a goal for Newcastle United! Assist by J. Lascelles.
SCHAR AT THE DOUBLE FOR NEWCASTLE! 2-0! It's more a case of luck than skill this time as the defender deflects a glancing header from Lascelles in at the left post but he won't care! The Magpies have clear daylight between them and Cardiff!
It's a good corner, though Lascelles wouldn't have found the goal with his effort. Schar was very much in the right place at the right time to reap the rewards there.
62'
Bennett is back into the fray and concedes a corner in order to deny Rondon a chance to head home at the right post following a slick cross.
57'
The referee gives Newcastle a free-kick in their own penalty area following a foul at the set-piece.
56'
Ritchie sweeps a cross in off the left wing looking for Rondon, only to put it straight into the palms of Etheridge. Cardiff break and Camarasa delivers a great ball to Mendez-Laing deep on the right flank, who wins a corner off a Lejeune tackle.
53'
There's a greater sense of fluidity from both sides since the restart but neither seem able to nail that last pass when going forward. It must be frustrating for Benitez and Warnock that their teams are creating chances but failing to back them up.
51'
Rondon snakes his way down the right wing with an excellent run, outpacing the defence. His last touch as he enters the box is too heavy however and Bamba prises possession away from him.
47'
The Magpies crash down the other end, breaking fast and Rondon snatches at a shot that he sends tumbling over the crossbar. Energetic stuff in the opening exchanges.
46'
Camarasa gets yellow.
Much like the first half, the initial attack comes from a Mendez-Laing cross fired into the box. Newcastle clear however and Camarasa is then booked for an infringement as he cuts off the counter-attack.
We're back underway at St James' Park. Can Cardiff spark a revival on Tyneside or will Newcastle wrap this one up with ease?
45' +3
HALF-TIME: NEWCASTLE 1-0 CARDIFF
45' +1
Another Newcastle corner gives the Magpies a great chance to double their lead on the cusp of the break, but Cardiff smuggle possession away from a cluttered box.
45'
There's going to be three added minutes in this first half.
43'
Perez looks to get the better of Bennett following a Newcastle counter-attack down the right wing and does so, only for the referee to penalise him for fouling the latter after he goes down softly.
42'
An exchange of headers around the Magpies box ends with a poor, looping effort from Camarasa that falls straight to Dubravka.
40'
Newcastle have looked far more dynamic since giving themselves the lead, though they are yet to threaten again in any serious fashion.
38'
Niasse wins his side a free-kick after going down following his own apparently mistimed slide tackle on Schar. The Magpies fans aren't particularly enamoured with that decision and Cardiff march themselves into the opposition half.
36'
Two stoppages in two minutes at St James' Park as Perez is bowled over by Bennett and stays down clutching his head. He too is good to remain after a moment to collect himself.
34'
There's another delay now for injury, with goalscorer Schar the man down on the turf right now. He doesn't look all too sharp but he seems fit to continue.
30'
The visitors do pick up a corner now but Camarasa's delivery is substandard once more, high rather than fast again, allowing Dubravka an effective free catch.
28'
Ritchie brings down Peltier with a rather workmanlike challenge and Cardiff pump the set-piece into the box. Again, there's little to trouble Dubravka with and the keeper takes it cleanly.
26'
There's a brief pause in play for Lejeune to get some treatment before the game can resume following the restart.
24'
F. Schär has scored a goal for Newcastle United! Assist by I. Hayden.
It was good work from Atsu and Hayden, deep in the Cardiff half, to keep possession but Neil Warnock should be absolutely furious with how his defenders let Schar waltz into the box. Very few Bluebirds players went near him and they've been made to pay for it.
SCHAR GIVES NEWCASTLE THE LEAD! 1-0! It's the defender's first goal for the Magpies and an excellent solo strike to boot! Atsu and Hayden hold the ball deep on the right wing before playing back to the Swiss international who cuts a mazy run into the box before slotting a controlled finish into the bottom-left corner under Etheridge. Superb stuff from the hosts!
21'
Yedlin blasts a ball in for Rondon on the edge of the six-yard box, but Manga intercepts with a rocky header to push the danger away from the Bluebirds' goalmouth.
17'
Longstaff chances his luck with an effort from distance, only to put it comfortably into the stands behind the goal for United.
16'
Cardiff try the long ball again and find Hoilett in space inside the penalty area. The winger tries a half-volley, tight and controlled, and sprays it into the side netting. There's a bit of verve about the Bluebirds that the hosts are missing so far.
14'
Now the Bluebirds have a corner on the left which Camarasa whips in. The delivery is high rather than fast and Dubravka is left unchallenged to collect it at the far post.
10'
Newcastle win a corner and play an initial one-two short to improve the angle for Ritchie to deliver a looping ball in. Etheridge beats out Longstaff in the aerial battle and neutralises the danger for City.
8'
The Magpies try to break with Schar seeking Atsu out wide on the left flank with a long, sweeping cross. It beats the midfielder however and skitters out for a throw-in instead.
6'
Cardiff try to put Paterson away through the middle this time, though Yedlin intercepts and clips it back to Dubravka for safe keeping.
4'
Lejeune gets the first touch from the set-piece, only heading it clear as far as Bennett who snakes back into the box on the left. Lascelles is able to reclaim the ball however and Newcastle edge back to halfway.
3'
The visitors break neatly down the right wing, with Mendez-Laing looking to slip a low cross in towards Paterson. The hosts intercept however and deflect out for a corner.
1'
We are underway in this Premier League clash between Newcastle United and Cardiff City!
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the 2018-19 Premier League as Newcastle United host fellow strugglers Cardiff City in a relegation clash at St James' Park.
CARDIFF CITY (4-4-2): Neil Etheridge; Lee Peltier, Bruno Ecuele Manga, Sol Bamba, Joe Bennett; Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Joe Ralls, Víctor Camarasa, Junior Hoilett; Callum Paterson, Oumar Niasse.
Subs: Javier Manquillo, Jamie Sterry, Jacob Murphy, Freddy Woodman, Callum Roberts, Joselu, Ciaran Clark.
Subs: Danny Ward, Kadeem Harris, Bobby Reid, Alex Smithies, Josh Murphy, Aron Gunnarsson, Greg Cunningham.
The teams are out at St James' Park and we're moments away from kick-off.
Rafa Benitez's side look set to be in for another basement battle this season, after managing to keep themselves in the top flight last May – and with a tight hand on the purse strings for the transfer budget once more, he faces an uphill climb to keep the Magpies airborne.
Neil Warnock's visitors are also firmly ensconced at the lower end of the table, though they at least sit a point above their hosts, just outside of the bottom three. The Bluebirds too are in a bind – and three points for either team would boost their survival hopes dramatically.
NEWCASTLE UNITED (5-4-1): Martin Dubravka; DeAndre Yedlin, Fabian Schar, Jamaal Lascelles, Florian Lejeune, Matt Ritchie; Ayoze Perez, Isaac Hayden, Sean Longstaff, Christian Atsu; Salomon Rondon.
Fabian Schar's lovely solo effort is the difference at the break at St James' Park, to ensure that it's Newcastle who have the upper hand. There's not been much in the way of top quality for neutral spectators and Cardiff haven't quite threatened the way they would have hoped after a bright first few minutes – but there's still a long way to go in this game. At half-time, it's Newcastle United 1-0 Cardiff City.
Neil Warnock might be mulling over some early changes with his side having to come from behind to claim something. Does he opt to throw on some extra firepower up front to help Paterson and Niasse?
Cardiff might be buoyed by the prospect of a few extra days off at least following their FA Cup exit earlier this month, though a trip to Arsenal still makes for a daunting next game. Newcastle though will be on knockout duty for an all-Premier League tie when they host Watford next Saturday. Until then, thank you for joining us – and have a good weekend!
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