Newcastle scored four times in the first half as they hammered Crystal Palace 5-0 to move third with a fifth consecutive Premier League victory.
Newcastle assistant Jason Tindall and coach Graeme Jones were in charge once again while head coach Eddie Howe continues to recover from pneumonia, with the pair overseeing nine goals in the last two games to close the gap on second-placed Arsenal to four points.
The hosts were rampant from the beginning as Isak wasted two good chances before the in-form Jacob Murphy fired a rocket from an improbable angle that crashed into the roof of the net at Henderson’s near post in the 14th minute.
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Jacob Murphy squeezed one home from an impossible angle to give Newcastle an early lead against Crystal Palace
Newcastle were in control until Nick Pope came a long way off his line to punch a cross, missing the ball and collided with Palace defender Chris Richards. The referee was sent to the pitchside monitor to award a penalty, but Pope made up for his error by saving Eze’s casual spot kick.
Eze was punished for his miss just 98 seconds later when Palace captain Marc Guehi inadvertently turned Barnes’ cross into his own net.
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Eberechi Eze is left embarrassed as his tame penalty is saved by Nick Pope at St James’ Park
Palace’s misery in the first half was far from over as Barnes continued his fine form by finishing brilliantly with his left foot at the end of a counter-attack in added time before Fabian Schar headed in a fourth from Murphy’s cross.
Isak could have had at least a hat-trick, denied again early in the second half by Henderson, but finally beat the Palace goalkeeper with a superb curling shot that nestled in the bottom right corner to cap a faultless evening on Tyneside.
More to follow.
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Alexander Isak gets in on the act as Newcastle make it five against Crystal Palace
