Ayoze Perez fires Newcastle OUT of relegation zone '“ after being dropped
A second-half strike from substitute Ayoze Perez gave Rafa Benitez's side a 1-0 win over Watford at St James's Park this afternoon.
Owner Mike Ashley was at the stadium to see the victory, which lifted the club up to 17th place.
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Hide AdThe result saw United double their points tally, which now stands at six.
However, the win came at a cost, and Benitez lost Jamaal Lascelles, Jonjo Shelvey and Yoshinori Muto to injury.
There was a minute's remembrance for the victims of last weekend's helicopter crash at Leicester City before kick-off time.
Benitez, Newcastle's manager, had recalled fit-again Salomon Rondon to his starting XI at the expense of Perez.
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Hide AdLascelles, making his 100th start for the club, stopped a 15th-minute header from Adrian Mariappa on the line. A follow-up shot from the defender went wide.
Mohamed Diame tested Ben Foster with a fierce shot at the other end of the pitch, while United had a let-off in the 27th minute when Gerard Deulofeu put an effort wide after a quick break from Watford.
The visitors were dangerous on the break, and they ended the half on top.
Benitez lost Muto before the interval – he was replaced by Perez – and Lascelles didn't make it out for the second half, having suffered a shoulder injury early in the game.
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Hide AdShelvey was then forced off, and it was his replacement, Ki Sung-yueng, who delivered the driven free-kick for Perez's 65th-minute headed goal.
The strike, Perez's first of the season, lifted the roof at St James's Park.
Kenedy made a superb last-ditch challenge on Watford substitute Andre Gray to prevent a goal, and Newcastle survived a nervous and niggly last 15 minutes to claim a crucial first victory.
There was a protest against Ashley outside the Milburn Stand after the game.
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Hide AdNEWCASTLE UNITED: Dubravka; Yedlin, Lascelles (Schar, 46), Fernandez, Dummett; Shelvey (Ki, 51), Diame; Ritchie, Muto (Perez, 46), Kenedy; Rondon. Subs not used: Darlow, Manquillo, Joselu, Atsu.
WATFORD: Foster, Femenia, Mariappa, Cathcart, Holebas, Doucoure, Capoue, Hughes (Okaka, 77), Deulofeu (Gray, 65), Pereyra, Success (Chalobah, 85). Subs not used: Gomes, Masina, Sema, Kabasele.
Goal: Perez 65
Bookings: Capoue 29, Hughes 64, Holebas 90, Schar 90, Gray 90
Referee: Craig Pawson (Sheffield)
Attendance: 49,157