Eljero Elia joined Southampton on loan a few weeks ago looking for redemption and revival. So far all he has found is glory, scoring both his side’s goals here to help them move back to the giddy heights of third place — just a week after his debut ended with a first Saints win at Old Trafford for 27 years.
This victory was Southampton’s third away from home in a week, following that success at United then a midweek FA Cup win at Ipswich, as they continue to defy expectations.
It also meant a fourth straight match from four without a win in the temporary reign of Newcastle’s caretaker manager John Carver.
Home fans were dismayed not just by the result but that a late shout for a penalty was denied by referee Robert Madley after a shot from Emmanuel Riviere was stopped by Jose’s Fonte hand.
‘When you arms are by your side, maybe it’s not a penalty,’ said Carver. ‘When your arm is L-shaped and it hits your hand, it’s a penalty. They [Southampton] got the breaks at the right time.’
Elia is a 27-year-old Dutch winger who played, aged 23, for the Netherlands in the 2010 World Cup final but who did not continue to blossom. He is now on loan from Werder Bremen and looking to make a fresh start after periods of fitful form and off-field controversy.
A speeding offence in 2013 in Germany was the most serious of his ‘bad boy’ transgressions but he was also criticised for inflammatory tweets last year when he posted ‘ready for war’ in the build-up to a Werder versus Hamburg match.
He evidently feels a huge debt of gratitude to Southampton manager Ronald Koeman — to whom he dashed after scoring his first goal, tightly hugging his new boss before giving him an energetic thump on the arm.
Koeman said: ‘He needs to know his coach has confidence in him. And he needs to play in his best position like today. He was fast, strong, sharp.’
Asked if he could ‘tame’ Elia and help him finally flourish, Koeman said: ‘Yes, I hope. If he keeps his concentration on football. He’s doing well, he’s showing a lot of discipline.’
Koeman said he was especially pleased with today’s win given three away games in a row — and key absentees. ‘It was a long, difficult week,’ he said. ‘Three games away but if you win you gain confidence, spirit.
‘It was great to beat United but, as a manager, the win today is better because it’s the third [away] game and we were without key players.’
(dailymail.co.uk)
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