Newcastle United vs. Wigan Athletic: Final score 3-0 as Magpies destroy 10-man Latics

This match should have been fun. it was not, mostly because of a very early red card. With Newcastle United on a four game losing streak and Wigan Athletic an inherently attacking side, the prospect of watching these two teams facing off at St. James Park was... well, it was fun at the very least.

Maynor Figueroa quickly made it un-fun. It took about ten minutes for the game to be effectively over when the left back scythed down Papiss Cisse as the Senegalese looked to race onto a through ball and attack Ali Al-Habsi's goal. It was a clear penalty and a not-so-clear red card, but either way Demba Ba stepped up to convert it and Wigan were looking at a mountain to climb.

Eight minutes later and Ali Al-Habsi made it worse, parrying Davide Santon's fierce drive straight into Ba and seeing the on-form striker notch his second. Although the visitors fought back bravely in the second half, their opportunities came to naught and Newcastle finished things off with a lovely curled effort off the boot of teenager Gael Bigirimana , his first ever Premier League goal.

The 3-0 win wasn't all good news for Newcastle, however, as Ba limped off down the tunnel with 88 minutes up. With Cisse not firing on all cylinders, they need their star forward performing, and if he's injured for weeks that might not be worth the three points.