Perez's winner lifts Newcastle seven points clear of drop zone

NEWCASTLE UNITED took moved a giant step closer to Premier League safety as Ayoze Perez’s 80th-minute strike secured a priceless 1-0 win over relegation rivals Huddersfield Town.

Perez settled a closely-fought affair as he converted Kenedy’s cross to lift the Magpies seven points clear of the relegation zone with seven games remaining.

Newcastle are up to 12th position, and deserved their success after dominating the majority of the game against a Huddersfield side that did not record a single attempt on target until the third minute of stoppage time.

Dwight Gayle wasted two good opportunities to break the deadlock in the first half, and while Islam Slimani came off the bench in the final stages to make his Newcastle debut, it was Perez who made the difference as he held his nerve at the heart of the penalty area.

While Slimani was fit enough to take up a place amongst the substitutes, Rafael Benitez named an unchanged starting line-up as Newcastle returned to action after a three-week break.

The Magpies were on the front foot from the off, but while they dominated the first half in terms of possession and territory, they were unable to convert their superiority into a goal.

They created plenty of chances, but Dwight Gayle was in one of his more profligate moods, and the Terriers made it to the interval with their rearguard unbreached.

Newcastle’s first chance came in the 14th minute, but after Gayle’s attempted overhead kick was blocked, Jonjo Shelvey whistled the rebound wide of the target via a flick off Gayle.

Matt Ritchie shot straight at the legs of Huddersfield goalkeeper Jonas Lossl after breaking into the area shortly after, before Gayle wasted the first of three good first-half chances to come his way. Jonjo Shelvey’s long ball sent the striker scampering down the left-hand side, but after cutting in from the flank, he drilled a low shot much too close to Lossl.

That was a decent opening, but an even better opportunity came Gayle’s way two minutes later. Shelvey’s quick free-kick sent the number nine clear of the Huddersfield defence, but while his chip evaded the advancing Lossl, the ball drifted agonisingly wide of the left-hand post.

Five minutes later, and Gayle was presented with another opportunity. Again, though, he failed to make the most of it. DeAndre’s Yedlin right-wing cross passed a couple of defenders before making it to Gayle, but while the striker did well to bring the ball under control, he prodded a wasteful shot over the bar.

Huddersfield failed to record a single effort on target before the break, but they finally threatened shortly before the hour mark as Laurent Depoitre turned neatly on the edge of the area before whistling a low shot just past the left-hand post.

The Terriers were much more of a threat after the break, and an unmarked Matthias Jorgensen should have done much better when he met Aaron Mooy’s free-kick. The defender produced a powerful header, but directed it at one of his own players on the edge of the six-yard box.

Benitez made his first change in the 67th minute, bringing on Christian Atsu for Ritchie, and Slimani was finally handed his debut as he replaced Gayle with 15 minutes left.

Newcastle began to build some pressure after Slimani came off the bench, and the hosts finally broke the deadlock with ten minutes left.

Atsu swung over a cross from the right, and Lossl could only palm the ball away in the direction of Kenedy. The Brazilian delivered an intelligent square ball into the area, and Perez swept home his third Premier League goal of the season.

Huddersfield’s only chance of an equaliser came in stoppage time, but Steve Mounie failed to make a proper connection as he met Alex Pritchard’s cross at the back post, and Martin Dubravka was able to save.

Newcastle (4-2-3-1): Dubravka; Yedlin, Lejeune, Lascelles, Dummett; Shelvey, Diame (Hayden 79); Ritchie (Atsu 67), Perez, Kenedy; Gayle (Slimani 75).

Subs (not used): Darlow (gk), Manquillo, Clark, Murphy.

Huddersfield (4-2-3-1): Lossl; Smith (Mounie 83), Schindler, Jorgensen, Kongolo; Hogg, Mooy; Kachunga (Quaner 56), Pritchard, van La Parra (Malone 86); Depoitre.

Subs (not used): Coleman (gk), Billing, Ince, Hadergjonaj.