Newcastle recorded its first Premier League win in six matches by beating 10-man Wigan 3-0 on Monday after two goals by Demba Ba and another from Gael Bigirimana.
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew had been under pressure with his injury-hit team winning only one league match since he signed an eightyear contract extension in late September to sit just two points above the relegation zone.
But his players responded to the 12th-minute dismissal of Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa for fouling Papiss Cisse in the box in a contentious decision with the players appearing to be shoulder to shoulder.
"It was nice to get a break - and I think it was a break, I'm not a great lover of that rule with the penalty and the sending off," Pardew said. "But at the time I thought it was a penalty, the defender lifts his arm at the end of the challenge. The referee had a tough decision to make, but I think it was a penalty and obviously it put us in a great position."
Ba converted the resulting penalty, and scored again in the 21st minute from an error by goalkeeper Al Habsi at St. James Park. Those strikes took Ba to 10 league goals for the season, drawing level with Manchester United striker Robin van Persie, Liverpool forward Luis Suarez and Swansea attacker Michu at the top of the scoring chart.
Bigirimana, a second-half substitute, struck a left-footed curving shot into the net in the 71st for his first goal for the club.
Wigan kept its shape in the second half despite the numerical disadvantage but never threatened to get back in the match.
