RALPH Hasenhuttl was left frustrated by Saints’ inability to break down the nine men of Newcastle in the latter stages at St James’s Park. The Magpies were left two men light after Fabian Schar was forced off with an injury 12 minutes from time, with Newcastle having used all their allotted substitutions. Jeff Hendrick saw red earlier in the half for a second bookable offence on Takumi Minamino. Chasing parity with two extra players – Saints failed to break down a stubborn Magpies rearguard, succumbing to a 3-2 defeat on Tyneside.
Ralph Hasenhuttl said: “It is a new situation when you are suddenly two men up. We saw last week (in a 9-0 defeat to Manchester United) how it worked. It is about how you deliver the balls, how you enter the box. We had enough players but the crosses were horrible, not in the right moment. They defended much better than we did on Tuesday, that is the difference. We have to notice this. (Danny) Ings was unlucky in the second half, hitting the post, maybe then it’s easier – but overall it is not enough. The last fifteen minutes we had two men more and only two half chance. I must criticise that. It’s not enough. We know that we must do things better. We must work on this part of our game. We’ve done it once, we must do it again.”