Newcastle 3-0 Swansea: Rafa Benitez's side boosted by victory

Newcastle kept their Premier League survival hopes alive with a crucial 3-0 victory over Swansea at St James' Park on Saturday.

Having seen Sunderland beat Norwich earlier in the day, Rafa Benitez raised a few eyebrows with a much-changed starting line-up, dropping both Jonjo Shelvey and Aleksandar Mitrovic to the bench.

But the decision was justified as the Magpies claimed a vital win that moves them three points behind 17th-placed Norwich, with a game in hand.

Jamaal Lascelles scored the opener from a corner in the 40th minute and stand-in captain Moussa Sissoko doubled the advantage in the 82nd minute after a spell of Swansea pressure.

Andros Townsend put the result beyond doubt shortly afterwards to give Benitez his first win as Newcastle manager on his 56th birthday.

While the Magpies' next two fixtures are against Manchester City and Liverpool, victory keeps them in contention with five matches left to play.

Having been heavily criticised for the performance at Southampton last weekend, Benitez made five changes to the starting XI, with Shelvey, Mitrovic and Ayoze Perez dropping to the bench.

The home side started positively and Lukasz Fabianski tipped away a cross from Vurnon Anita under the bar.

The hosts continued to show encouraging signs against a Swansea side who all but secured their Premier League survival with victory over Chelsea in their previous match.

The Swans were unable to replicate that performance and Newcastle went close again in the 33rd minute as Papiss Cisse flicked on a long ball for Jack Colback, who shot at Fabianski.

The breakthrough arrived in the 40th minute when Lascelles headed home from a corner, with the ball deflecting in off Fabianski.

Newcastle threatened after the break as Townsend's free-kick bounced just in front of Lascelles and Colback fired a first-time shot over the bar.

But Swansea upped their game on the hour mark and Andre Ayew saw a shot blocked by Chancel Mbemba before Albert Paloschi glanced a header wide.

The visitors then created three gilt-edged chances as Ashley Williams fired a half volley wide, Jefferson Montero missed the target after being played in by Bafetimbi Gomis and Gomis then shot past the post.

Newcastle made the most of the misses and a fortunate break from a corner in the 82nd minute as the ball kindly for Sissoko to finish past Fabianski.

Townsend made sure of the points in the final minute of normal time, slipping the ball under the keeper after good work from Mitrovic in the build-up.

Soccer Saturday verdict - Phil Thompson

"Newcastle were absolutely dreadful last week, some of their worst defending. This season has been astonishing, you would not have put 3-0 on this, in all your life. Newcastle played well. They defended very well today and that gave them the rock to build on. Lascelles and Mbemba were absolutely fantastic, Darlow did not have a save to make. The fans did not get on their backs and I think that helped them settle.

"Maybe Swansea looked at that teamsheet and thought 'this is going to be easy today', because they certainly did not turn up for the first half. It was abject from most of the Swansea players. This was a 'had-to-win' game for Newcastle, when you see the games coming up. It is still going to be difficult but they have given themselves a fighting chance."

Player ratings

Newcastle: Darlow (6), Anita (7), Mbemba (7), Lascelles (8), Dummett (7), Tiote (6), Colback (6), Townsend (8), Sissoko (7), Wijnaldum (6), Cisse (6).

Subs: Shelvey (5), Perez (5), Mitrovic (6).

Swansea: Fabianski (5), Rangel (5), Fernandez (5), Williams (5), Taylor (5), Cork (6), Fer (4), Ayew (5), Sigurdsson (5), Montero (5), Paloschi (5). 

Subs: Routledge (5), Gomis (5), Barrow (5).

Man of the match: Andros Townsend.