Newcastle Thrashes Leicester 3-0 to Boost UCL Hopes in Premier League

Newcastle United defeated Leicester City 3-0, moving to fifth place in the Premier League with 53 points from 30 games, level with fourth-placed Chelsea. Jacob Murphy scored twice in the opening 11 minutes, while Harvey Barnes added a third. Leicester suffered its 11th home loss and became the first EFL team to lose eight straight home games without scoring.

After being the first side in English Football League history to suffer eight consecutive home league defeats without scoring, Leicester City’s woes deepened as it was comprehensively beaten 3-0 by Newcastle United in the Premier League 2024-25 season. Newcastle’s Jacob Murphy struck twice within the first 11 minutes, capitalizing on poor defending, while former Leicester player Harvey Barnes added a third before halftime.

The win took Newcastle to 53 points from 30 games, lifting it above defending champion Manchester City and level with fourth-placed Chelsea, with a game in hand. Leicester, meanwhile, sits 19th with just 17 points from 31 games, 15 points away from safety, making relegation almost certain. The result marked Leicester’s 11th home defeat of the campaign, a new unwanted club record.

Newcastle’s dominant performance marked its third straight league win, reinforcing its ambitions of returning to the Champions League next season. Already assured of European football after their League Cup win against Liverpool, Eddie Howe’s men are pushing for a top-four or top-five finish, which is likely enough for qualification. Despite some resilience from Leicester after the break, the damage had already been done early, and the club now faces a grim battle to avoid the drop.