On a day when Newcastle fans celebrated their Gallic imports with an array of flags and berets, the team's French connection made the difference against a resurgent Southampton.

The Toon players were welcomed onto the field to the strains of the French national anthem, Tricolors were waving in the stands and there was even a four-minute can-can display at half-time.

But for a while, it had seemed a Southampton Frenchman, Morgan Schneiderlin, would steal the show when he found ...

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