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Rafa Benitez is touting Sean Longstaff for England – he should really clarify which level. For if the 21-year-old starts to add goals to his already exemplary game, as he did here for the first time in the Premier League, then there is an argument for him being accelerated into Gareth Southgate’s senior squad.
It is not just that Longstaff is playing well, he is out-performing everyone on the pitch, every week it seems. To think, he would probably have been on loan at League One Portsmouth if not for a spate of injuries before Christmas.
As it is, he has been the inspiration behind the four straight home victories which have taken Benitez’s side to 13th and seven points clear of danger.
Newcastle celebrate with defender Fabian Schar after he opened the scoring with a stunning first half strike
The Swiss centre back (out of frame) took aim from long range and hit an unstoppable shot past Tom Heaton off his left post
Sean Longstaff doubled Newcastle’s lead with his first Premier League goal in front of a delighted home crowd
MATCH FACTS, LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE
Newcastle (3-4-1-2): Dubravka; Schar, Lascelles, Lejeune; Manquillo, Hayden, Longstaff (Diame 85), Ritchie; Almiron (Dummett 80); Ayoze (Joselu 87), Rondon
Unused subs: Darlow, Yedlin, Ki, Atsu
Goals: Schar 24, Longstaff 38
Booking: Longstaff 22
Burnley (4-4-2): Heaton; Bardsley, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor; Gudmundsson, Cork, Hendrick, McNeil (Brady 46); Barnes (Crouch 70), Wood (Vydra 83)
Unused subs: Hart, Lowton, Gibson, Ward
Bookings: Mee 38, Hendrick 60, Crouch 88
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After a patient team move, Fabian Schar took aim from 25 yards and scored a stunning opening goal. For more stats and facts check out our exclusive MATCH ZONE service here.
Another mainstay of that run has been Switzerland centre-back Fabian Schar, who scored his third of the season and was only shaded for star-man honours by local hero Longstaff. ‘He’s one of our own’ sang the home crowd, and they must be hoping he remains so for a long time yet.
‘He is an example for everyone,’ said Benitez. ‘He’s a great lad, a very good professional and is trying to improve. He had to play because we had injuries, but he deserves to stay in the team.’
Supporters are hoping Benitez stays, too. His deal is up in the summer, and he said: ‘We have to be sure we have a project, ambition and want to be a top side in the Premier League – we can do it.’
The beauty of the breakthrough goal was in stark contrast to the stodgy start made by both teams. In true Swiss tradition, this was like clockwork, for Schar has a liking for the 24th minute.
It was during last month’s visit of Cardiff, after an equally uninspiring opening, that the defender collected the ball on halfway and waltzed through to score. At the same juncture here he took matters into his own hands – this time, though, it was more mesmeric than mazy.
Schar is congratulated by Matt Ritchie and Miguel Almiron after his goal came out of nowhere on 24 minutes
Longstaff finished smartly across Heaton into the corner, giving the Newcastle academy product his first league goal
Ritchie’s cross was not properly cleared, and Longstaff showed great composure to strike the ball into the far corner
The North Shields-born midfielder celebrates with Ritchie, as Isaac Hayden speaks with captain Jamaal Lascelles
Collecting a pass 35 yards out, the purpose of his forward stride was a clue as to what would follow, a stunning right-footed drive that clipped the inside of the post where it meets the stanchion.
Longstaff then smashed his goal on 38 minutes, the midfielder starting and finishing the move as he volleyed into the bottom corner from Matt Ritchie’s centre.
Burnley should have halved the deficit when James Tarkowski somehow blazed over from six yards on the stroke of half-time. It may have been different had that gone in, but Sean Dyche’s visitors offered little in response.
Dyche said: ‘We did not perform well enough in the first half. We were way off our mark.’ The night had belonged to Longstaff, not for the first time and it won’t be the last.
Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka constantly came to catch high balls into his area – clattering even his own defenders
Dubravka lands on top of Hayden after collecting a high cross into the box in the early stages at St James’ Park
Heaton gathers the ball at the feet of Almiron, the home crowd again cheering the every move of the Paraguayan playmaker
James Tarkowski should have pulled a goal back for Burnley, but the defender horribly sliced his volley over the crossbar
Newcastle record signing Almiron came close early in the second half but his close range shot was well saved by Heaton
Burnley midfielder Jeff Hendrick was lucky to escape with just a booking after catching Longstaff with a high tackle
Burnley manager Sean Dyche sent on Peter Crouch with 20 minutes left to try and rescue something from the north east
Matej Vydra almost scrambled in a late goal for Burnley, however he was denied by the impressive keeper Dubravka
Mo Diame was introduced as a late substitute and needed his head to be bandaged up after a collision with Crouch
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