Leicester 0-3 Newcastle: Magpies put Chelsea and Man City on notice with big win in Champions League race | OneFootball

Magpies now level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea after a comfortable win over Leicester

Newcastle blew Leicester away with three first-half goals to inflict a miserable 3-0 defeat on the Foxes who moved a step closer to suffering relegation from the Premier League.

Jacob Murphy set the tone for the evening when he tapped in with 113 seconds on the clock and he grabbed his brace when he knocked in the rebound after Fabian Schar struck the crossbar from inside his own half.

Many of the Leicester fans who decided to turn up seemingly headed early for the exit doors when Harvey Barnes haunted his old club with the third goal on his return to leave Leicester 15 points adrift of safety with seven games to go.

Leicester last scored in front of their own fans against Brighton on December 8 and drawing another blank meant they became the first side in Football League history to lose eight home league games in a row without scoring a goal.

The Foxes forced Nick Pope into action 10 seconds into the contest as Jamie Vardy blasted an effort on goal from a tight angle but the England international was alert enough to tip it round a post.

Leicester went behind to a goal inside two minutes for a second straight game.

The Magpies hardly had to break a sweat as former Leicester man Barnes easily unlocked the frail home defence with a pass in behind and Tino Livramento fizzed it across goal for Murphy, who was waiting to tap home at the far post.

Newcastle doubled their advantage nine minutes later in quite outstanding fashion.

Schar picked the ball up inside his own half and lifted his head to find Mads Hermansen way of his line. He decided to audaciously have a crack which bounced flush off the upright and fell kindly for Murphy to bury his second.

The hosts were trying to demonstrate their attacking ability, this time Bilal El Khannouss sprinting down the left and unleashing an effort which drew a second stop from Pope.

The visitors were in no mood to show mercy and they punished Leicester with a third in the 34th minute.

Joelinton had the freedom of the King Power Stadium as he forced a save from Hermansen but Leicester were unable to stop the follow-up again as Barnes tapped in the rebound.

Leicester were inches away from scoring their first home goal of this calendar year. Patson Daka's strike had the beating of Pope only to see the ball bounce off one post, hit the other and roll to safety.

The Magpies seemed content with their first-half showing and took their foot off the gas but Schar again tried his luck which Hermansen saved - he was greeted with sarcastic cheers from the dejected home fans.

Leicester were trying to find that elusive first home goal, though, with Wout Faes coming close with a header which was glanced the wrong side of a post to sum up another bleak night for the Foxes.