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Dúbravka hails teammates after third St. James' shut-out
Written by Tom Easterby
Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dúbravka paid tribute to his teammates after they helped the on-loan stopper record another shut-out at St. James’ Park.
Ayoze Pérez’s second half strike earned the Magpies a deserved 1-0 win over Huddersfield Town on Saturday as Slovakian international Dúbravka kept his third clean sheet in as many home games.
And the 29-year-old – who is yet to concede a goal at St. James’ – says a solid defensive display helped make his afternoon a little easier as his side moved up to 12th in the Premier League table.
“For a keeper, when you don’t have so much to do, you need to be ready, but the guys made this game easier for me. They helped me in every situation,” he told nufc.co.uk.
“We controlled the ball, and especially Jonjo today, with Mo in the centre, they played very well. We tried to stay active in the game from the beginning, and that was the plan.
“We have to say that we played as a team again. The defenders made it much easier – there was not so much to do today. I’m happy for them, and I’m really happy that we won today. It was difficult game. For the keeper, it’s the worst when you don’t have so much to do, and then you need to be ready. But I’m happy.”
After Saturday’s victory, Newcastle are now seven points clear of the relegation zone.
They had to bide their time against the Terriers but, after a few chances went begging in the first half, Dúbravka believes his team were rewarded for their patience as Pérez slid home the winner.
“We tried to control the game, that was the plan,” he said. “We tried to keep the ball, and it was important for us that they didn’t create so much.
“We were really patient, and I think we deserved to score the goal. We had a few good opportunities to score in the first half, but unfortunately we didn’t and we were waiting in the last 15 minutes. But it was important for us that we won, no matter how.”
Rafa Benítez’s side travel to Leicester City – who won 2-0 at Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday – next weekend.
“As I said in another interview, we need to keep going and we need to be focussed on the next games that are coming,” added Dúbravka.
“This will be a very tough game for us, we definitely know it, but if we go in with the same attitude as today, we can be successful.
“We need to take this nice feeling now and take this confidence now, because we’ve won these three games in a row at home. It’s important for our minds, so it could be good for us to go there with a good mentality.”
"We have to say that we played as a team again. The defenders made it much easier – there was not so much to do today. I’m happy for them, and I’m really happy that we won today."