Newcastle soared up the Premier League table on Wednesday night after an explosive 5-0 win over Crystal Palace at St James’ Park. The victory pushes them into third place, strengthening their hopes of a Champions League return next season.
Despite manager Eddie Howe being absent due to pneumonia, Newcastle looked dominant from start to finish. Assistant manager Jason Tindall led the team on the sidelines, and the players delivered one of their most complete performances of the season.
The scoring began in the 14th minute when Jacob Murphy fired in a stunning goal from a tight angle. Shortly after, Crystal Palace had a golden opportunity to level the game. Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope fouled Chris Richards in the box, and after a long VAR review, a penalty was awarded. However, Eberechi Eze’s weak attempt was easily saved by Pope, much to the relief of the home crowd.
Newcastle didn’t waste time adding to their lead. Just a minute later, Palace’s Marc Guehi accidentally turned the ball into his own net while trying to cut out a low cross from Harvey Barnes. It marked the second time this season that Guehi has scored an own goal against Newcastle.
Harvey Barnes then got on the scoresheet himself, calmly finishing to make it 3-0. Murphy turned provider again before the break, delivering a set-piece that Fabian Schar flicked into the net, making it 4-0 by halftime.
Alexander Isak had missed a couple of early chances, but he eventually found the net with a powerful long-range strike in the second half. It was his 25th goal of the season, capping off a near-perfect night for the Magpies.
