Perez hat-trick ends Newcastle relegation fears

Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Southampton - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - April 20, 2019 Newcastle United's Ayoze Perez celebrates scoring their second goal Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

April 20 (Reuters) - NEWCASTLE UNITED 3 SOUTHAMPTON 1

An inspired Ayoze Perez helped Newcastle United put any lingering Premier League relegation fears to bed with a hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Southampton at St James' Park on Saturday.

The Spaniard scored twice before halftime to put the hosts in command and killed off Southampton late on after Mario Lemina's goal had revived the Saints.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Southampton - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - April 20, 2019 Newcastle United's Ayoze Perez scores their first goal REUTERS/Scott Heppell

Victory lifted Newcastle 10 points above third-bottom Cardiff City who face title-chasing Liverpool on Sunday.

Southampton remained five points clear of the drop zone.

"I feel very happy to get the hat-trick and help the team to get three important points that puts us in a great position," said Perez, who took his league tally for the season into double figures for the first time at Newcastle.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Southampton - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - April 20, 2019 Newcastle United's Ayoze Perez scores their third goal to complete his hat-trick Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

"We're now 12th which means a lot. It's been a couple of months that are very important for us. We've done very well, We've got great results and now that we're safe we're going to start looking forward and up and finish even better."

The home crowd were still moaning about a James Ward-Prowse body-check on Miguel Almiron when Perez scored twice in three minutes to fuel a jubilant mood in the Easter sunshine.

First he turned beautifully before firing right-footed past Angus Gunn in the 27th minute and with Southampton still reeling he slid in to meet Salomon Rondon's low cross.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Southampton - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - April 20, 2019 Southampton's Mario Lemina in action with Newcastle United's Miguel Almiron REUTERS/Scott Heppell

When Ki Sung-yueng was denied a third for Newcastle shortly after halftime, his skidding shot thudding against the post, the hosts were in complete control, but Southampton were not done.

Mario Lemina halved the deficit just before the hour mark with a clinical finish from Stuart Armstrong's cross and the visitors were suddenly looking the more likely to score.

In a frantic end-to-end finale, Almiron went off with a hamstring injury and Gunn made a superb save to keep out Isaac Hayden's deflected volley before Perez touched home in the 86th minute to calm the home crowd's jitters.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Southampton - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - April 20, 2019 Southampton's James Ward-Prowse is shown a yellow card by referee Anthony Taylor as Newcastle United players react Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

There was still time for Southampton to threaten again but Maya Yoshida's header was brilliantly saved by Martin Dubravka.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Ed Osmond)

Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Southampton - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - April 20, 2019 Newcastle United's Isaac Hayden in action with Southampton's Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg REUTERS/Scott Heppell

Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Southampton - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - April 20, 2019 Newcastle United's Ayoze Perez in action with Southampton's Oriol Romeu Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Southampton - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - April 20, 2019 Newcastle United's Matt Ritchie in action with Southampton's Oriol Romeu REUTERS/Scott Heppell

Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Southampton - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - April 20, 2019 Southampton's Mario Lemina scores their first goal Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Southampton - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - April 20, 2019 Newcastle United's Miguel Almiron in action with Southampton's Oriol Romeu REUTERS/Scott Heppell

Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Southampton - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - April 20, 2019 Newcastle United's Ayoze Perez celebrates scoring their third goal to complete his hat-trick with Salomon Rondon, Matt Ritchie and team mates REUTERS/Scott Heppell

Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Southampton - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - April 20, 2019 Newcastle United's Ayoze Perez celebrates after the match with the match ball with referee Anthony Taylor REUTERS/Scott Heppell