Ipswich have been relegated to the Championship after a 3-0 loss at Newcastle as Eddie Howe’s side put their Champions League qualification hopes back on track.
Ipswich needed to win and for West Ham to lose at Brighton to keep their slim survival hopes alive but that never looked likely when Ben Johnson was sent off in the first half.
Goals from Alexander Isak, Dan Burn and William Osula ensured Ipswich join Southampton and Leicester in immediately returning to the second tier.
It is the second season in a row in which the promoted trio have been immediately relegated and the first time all three sides have dropped with four games still to play.
This match was a good illustration of the gulf in class between the top and bottom of this league.
Ipswich’s own errors gave them a mountain to climb. They were reduced to 10 players in the first half of a Premier League game for the second week in a row when Johnson received two quick yellow cards.
The first was a controversial booking for simulation when Burn stuck out a leg, but the second was a foolish error, with Johnson unnecessarily holding back Isak.
Ben Johnson is sent off by referee Michael Salisbury for a second bookable offence
Soon after, Newcastle – who had seen Bruno Guimaraes’ overhead kick cleared off the line and Sandro Tonali hit the woodwork – finally took the lead on the stroke of half-time when Isak capitalised on Julio Enciso’s pull on Jacob Murphy, slotting in his 22nd Premier League goal of the season from the penalty spot.
Alexander Isak celebrates after scoring Newcastle’s opening goal against Ipswich from the penalty spot
That penalty call required a VAR check and for referee Michael Salisbury to reverse his original decision after looking at the pitchside monitor. But from then on the result was never in doubt.
Burn towered above Dara O’Shea at the back post to nod in Kieran Trippier’s stood-up cross on 56 minutes. That was his first Premier League goal of the season.
With 10 minutes to play, Osula got his first Premier League goal, again benefitting from a Trippier assist.
There could have been more, with Guimaraes blasting over from close range, but Howe, back in the dugout after his spell in hospital, was able to celebrate a dominant win which moves Newcastle up to third in the Premier League. They are a point above fourth-placed Manchester City and two clear of Chelsea and Nottingham Forest – and gave their goal difference a boost too.
This was a welcome response to their loss at Aston Villa last week and leaves the top-five race in their hands.
At the other end, Ipswich, who reached the top flight with back-to-back promotions, must now begin to turn their attentions to a return to the second tier and plot a path back to the Premier League.
McKenna unhappy with Johnson yellows: ‘I don’t think it’s well handled’
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Following his side’s relegation from the Premier League, Kieran McKenna says Ipswich Town gave themselves too much to do in order to stay into the division.
Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna:
“I think it’s a really frustrating yellow card. He goes past the last defender at speed, Burn sticks his leg and knee out across the forward, I haven’t seen the microscopic view, I think there’s probably minimum contact, but at that speed I don’t think he has to let Burn smash into his thigh. He can go over the contact. It’s still arguably a foul. But I don’t think it’s a yellow card, simulation. There’s no need to give a yellow card in that situation.
“He makes a foul which, if he’s made a few fouls, you could say it’s a yellow card. We had this earlier in the season with Axel Tuanzebe, when we’ve had a player sent off for two yellows making one foul in the game.
“When there’s a debatable yellow, like that one, I think common sense can be shown and not turning a game on its head. I don’t think it was well handled in the first decision and the second decision, I think discretion can be shown in those matters when the context of the first yellow was so soon previously.”
On Ipswich’s relegation: “We’re in a much better position than the club has been over previous years. The journey has been a fantastic one which sets us up well. The club is in a really strong position. There’s still a fantastic togetherness there. It’s a step back now but that’s often the way in terms of taking steps forward.”
Howe: Great to be back and now we’re in a strong position
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Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe gives his reaction on his return to the dugout with a 3-0 victory over Ipswich Town that kept The Magpies’ Champions League dreams alive and saw The Tractor Boys relegated from the Premier League.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe:
“It was great to be back, really enjoyed it. Really pleased with the players. They’re all tough games and Ipswich set up very well, solid defensively, we had to be patient to break them down.
“The first goal was massive, right on the stroke of half-time. The Aston Villa game was a disappointing one. We return to winning ways and now have four huge games.
“Dan has always been a scorer of important goals for us. Great to see Will come on the pitch and score with a header of the highest level. Hopefully that’s a turning point for him.
“We’re in a good position. We’ve put ourselves back into a strong position but we know it can change very quickly.”
