Newcastle's fifth straight win puts them into the top ten of the Premier League as West Brom ship two goals at home for the fourth time this season. 

The Teams:

Alan Irvine made two changes to his side that had beaten Leicester the weekend before. One enforced with Craig Gardner replaced by Mulumbu in midfield and surprisingly Victor Anichebe was put into the XI, replacing Sessegnon.

Newcastle didn’t change anything in their side and fielded a strong, physical side that would pose problems for West Brom with speed and height in abundance.

First-Half:

The first-half was rather dull, there wasn’t much happening at either end and for the Baggies it was very similar to their game a week before at Leicester City, a midfield battle with very few chances.

Sammy Ameobi hit the bar in the ninth minute during a minutes applause from both sets of fans for the ‘Justice For Jeff’ campaign, something West Bromwich Albion fans have taken home and away with them this season with no wavering of passion.

Saido Berahino forced Tim Krul, who made his Newcastle debut at The Hawthorns, into a save after good work from the midfield rolled Anichebe to set to his strike partner. The shot was rather central and easy for Krul. After the match Alan Irvine described the game as Saido’s worst in an Albion shirt this season, a fair assessment.

As Ideye Brown, West Brom’s record £10m signing watched Newcastle took the lead through their new striker. A snip at £1.5m, Ayoze Perez found his run on the end of Janmaat’s low cross ahead of Lescott. Perez produced a Cryuff style finish which rolled agonisingly slowly towards the bottom corner and in.

Second-Half:

The Baggies best spell came just after the break, Sebastian Poconogli was forced off with an injury and replaced by Christian Gamboa who went right-back and Andre Wisdom, on loan from Liverpool, filled in at left back for the third time this season.

The first 10-15 minutes of the second 45 was West Brom’s best spell in the game purely because they had some purpose and a slight intensity to their possession but still lacked a creative force to break down a solid Newcastle, the lack of runs behind, speed and movement was worrying for West Brom.

Despite some good play, and Albion were patient in possession. The problem with that is you need to probe with some kind of speed and penetration and it simply wasn’t there. 

Newcastle doubled their lead just after the hour mark as Janmaat picked his head up to find Coloccini, who headed home easily from close range. A well timed run and well placed cross sent Newcastle to their fifth straight win in all competitions, something they last achieved when they finished fifth in 2012.

In honesty the home side looked fruitless up front, they’d gifted two goals to their opposition and given them something to defend, this allowed the Geordies to drop deep and hold on, Anichebe wasn’t holding play up enough and the best chances fell to Andre Wisdom’s left foot, that sums up the game.

Overview:

Two pretty average sides divided by errors and confidence. A flat performance from West Brom got what it deserved despite Newcastle not providing any brilliance. They scored with their only two shots on target but they’re now on the crest of a wave and sitting seventh in the Premier League.

Credit to Alan Pardew, he played to his strengths as well as concentrating on the wide areas of West Brom, he clearly saw his side's physicality could make it tough for a West Brom side not use to that kind of opposition, worth remembering it was just two seasons ago Pardew was named manager of the year.

Alan Irvine, well he has a lot to ponder over the next few days before the trip to Stamford Bridge, a day when no one really produced anything like their top performance and the spark was clearly lacking. Many don’t think Craig Gardner will be having any sleepless nights over his spot in the baggies XI but Irvine has good reason to change this up if he wished for a trip to the run away leaders.