Miguel Almiron starred on his full debut as Newcastle United moved four points clear of the Premier League relegation zone with a dominant 2-0 win over 10-man Huddersfield Town on Saturday.

After losing only one of their previous four league games, Newcastle were always favourites for victory against the division's bottom club, and their hopes were boosted by a first half in which they hit the post twice and Huddersfield's Tommy Smith was sent off.

Huddersfield clung on to reach the interval on level terms despite Smith's poor challenge on record signing Almiron, whose excellent performance was eventually rewarded as Newcastle cruised to victory in the second half.

Salomon Rondon broke the deadlock in the first minute of the second half and Ayoze Perez quickly made it 2-0, moving Newcastle up to 14th. Huddersfield remain 14 points adrift of safety and appear certain to be relegated.

A wonderful counter-attack almost saw Almiron claim a goal early on, his dinked finish over Jonas Lossl striking the left-hand post, which Rondon then rattled on the follow up.

Rondon was denied by the brilliant Lossl and the Terriers' task was made harder when Smith rightly saw red for a rash diving tackle on Almiron.

Lossl sprung to his right to keep out a low Almiron strike, but almost gifted him a goal as a tame effort squrimed under the Dane and had to be cleared by Chris Lowe.

Perez became the latest to draw a fine save from Lossl before Rondon spurned a gilt-edged chance just before half-time, somehow diverting Sean Longstaff's superb right-wing cross well wide.

However, the dam finally broke 59 seconds into the second half, DeAndre Yedlin controlling Florian Lejeune's cross-field ball and playing in Perez, who combined with Isaac Hayden to tee up Rondon to fire through Lossl's legs.

Six minutes later the points were effectively sealed as Yedlin and Rondon combined following Almiron's pass and Perez volleyed into the bottom-left corner.

Only the crossbar prevented Newcastle from adding to their lead, Kenedy and Longstaff each striking it in the closing stages.