Newcastle dig deep for 2-0 victory at Sheffield United

Soccer Football - Premier League - Sheffield United v Newcastle United - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 5, 2019 Newcastle United's Jonjo Shelvey celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates REUTERS/Andrew Yates

SHEFFIELD, England (Reuters) - Newcastle United's Allan Saint-Maximin netted an early header before a controversial Jonjoy Shelvey goal secured a 2-0 win at Sheffield United in the Premier League on Thursday.

French forward Saint-Maximin fired the visitors ahead in the 15th minute with his first goal for the club and Shelvey scored in the 70th after Andy Carroll, who nodded the ball into his path, was given offside before VAR ruled the goal should stand.

The linesman had raised his flag and the home team's defenders went with the on-pitch decision but Shelvey carried on and raced clear to steer the ball past goalkeeper Dean Henderson before the video review confirmed that Carroll was onside.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Sheffield United v Newcastle United - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 5, 2019 Newcastle United's Martin Dubravka and manager Steve Bruce celebrate after the match Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder was incensed with how the incident panned out.

"Everyone in the ground stopped," he told the BBC. "Jonjo Shelvey even nonchalantly went up and took an opportunity. His body language said to me he had seen the linesman had put the flag up.

"The game has changed. This game now is completely different to what I experienced as a 16-year-old lad as an apprentice. I don't know where it is going and it is sucking the life out of me and the supporters.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Sheffield United v Newcastle United - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 5, 2019 Newcastle United's Jonjo Shelvey celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates REUTERS/Andrew Yates

"We'll get told it's new, we're all learning about it. I'm not sure I want to learn about it, I'm a bit fed up with it."

While the controversy surrounding the goal is likely to stir up more debate on the use of VAR, the evening's plaudits will go to Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka who pulled off a string of superb saves to keep the Blades at bay.

Saint-Maximin got on the end of Javier Manquillo's cross against the run of play as Dubravka kept frustrating the home side, having denied Oliver McBurnie and Enda Stevens before he palmed away a ferocious Oliver Norwood free kick.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Sheffield United v Newcastle United - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 5, 2019 Newcastle United's Federico Fernandez and Newcastle United's Martin Dubravka celebrate after the match REUTERS/Andrew Yates

Dubravka tipped over a close-range McBurnie header and, with the home team's onslaught fizzing out, Shelvey took advantage to confirm ninth-placed United's first league defeat in eight games and lift Newcastle to 11th, also on 19 points from 15 games.

Magpies boss Steve Bruce defended the decision to allow Shelvey's goal.

"Ultimately the right decision was made," he said. "I have to say well done to the referee for not blowing his whistle and to Jonjo. They were told to keep going at the start of the season until they hear the whistle.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Sheffield United v Newcastle United - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 5, 2019 Newcastle United's Jonjo Shelvey celebrates scoring their second goal with Paul Dummett REUTERS/Andrew Yates

"We had to dig in, especially first-half, but our attitude was terrific again."

(Writing by Zoran Milosavljevic; Editing by Ed Osmond and Ken Ferris)

Soccer Football - Premier League - Sheffield United v Newcastle United - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 5, 2019 Sheffield United's David McGoldrick in action with Newcastle United's Ciaran Clark Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

Soccer Football - Premier League - Sheffield United v Newcastle United - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 5, 2019 Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

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Soccer Football - Premier League - Sheffield United v Newcastle United - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 5, 2019 Sheffield United's John Lundstram applauds fans after the match REUTERS/Andrew Yates

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Soccer Football - Premier League - Sheffield United v Newcastle United - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 5, 2019 Newcastle United's Miguel Almiron in action with Sheffield United's Enda Stevens and David McGoldrick REUTERS/Andrew Yates

Soccer Football - Premier League - Sheffield United v Newcastle United - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 5, 2019 Newcastle United's Allan Saint-Maximin scores their first goal Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

Soccer Football - Premier League - Sheffield United v Newcastle United - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 5, 2019 Newcastle United's Jonjo Shelvey celebrates scoring their second goal Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

Soccer Football - Premier League - Sheffield United v Newcastle United - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 5, 2019 Newcastle United's Allan Saint-Maximin scores their first goal Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

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Soccer Football - Premier League - Sheffield United v Newcastle United - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 5, 2019 Newcastle United's Allan Saint-Maximin scores their first goal as Sheffield United's Dean Henderson attempts to save REUTERS/Andrew Yates

Soccer Football - Premier League - Sheffield United v Newcastle United - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 5, 2019 Newcastle United's Isaac Hayden in action with Sheffield United's Oliver Norwood Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

Soccer Football - Premier League - Sheffield United v Newcastle United - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 5, 2019 Sheffield United's Chris Basham reacts Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith