NEWCASTLE (4-2-3-1):
4 Sels: Continues to look shaky and makes life difficult for his defenders by remaining rooted to the line at set-pieces
6 Anita: Found himself back at right-back and produced a typically steady display – hard to say he’s better than Janmaat though
7 Mbemba: The pick of Newcastle’s defenders, even when he finished the game at full-back – deserves to be back in the team
4 Clark: Didn’t enjoy the most successful of debuts as his reckless first-half foul enabled Reading to level from the spot
6 Dummett: Took over the captain’s armband with Lascelles being dropped to the bench and produced a solid display
8 HAYDEN: Scored, won the free-kick that led to Gayle’s first goal and set up the striker’s second – an excellent night
5 Shelvey: Struggled to get himself into the game for long spells and continues to look a shadow of the player that played for England
7 Ritchie: Held his nerve from the penalty spot and delivered a succession of dangerous set-pieces that troubled the Reading defence
6 Perez: Still to really get going in the Championship, although he at least displayed a willingness to throw himself around
6 Gouffran: A surprise starter given that he hadn’t appeared in the first team since March, but won Newcastle’s crucial second-half penalty
8 Gayle: Took his tally for the season to three, with his free-kick in particular set to live long in the memory
Subs:
Lascelles (for Perez, 75)
Colback (for Gouffran, 83)
(not used): Darlow (gk), Janmaat, Hanley, Aarons, Armstrong.
READING (4-5-1):
Al-Habsi 6; Gunter 6, McShane 6, van den Berg 4, Obita 4; McCLEARY 7, Evans 6 (Mendes 83), Williams 6, Swift 5, Beerens 6 (Meite 79); Kermorgant 5.
Subs (not used): Jaakkola (gk), Cooper, Rakels, Quinn, Watson.
Man Of The Match: ISAAC HAYDEN – His £2.5m arrival from Arsenal didn’t hog the headlines, but it could turn out to be Newcastle’s best piece of summer transfer business.
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