Newcastle soared as much as third within the Premier League with a 5-0 thrashing of Crystal Palace on Wednesday to shut in on a return to the Champions League subsequent season. Jacob Murphy, Harvey Barnes, Fabian Schar and Alexander Isak had been on the right track for the Magpies, with Marc Guehi additionally scoring an personal purpose, as Newcastle made mild of the absence of supervisor Eddie Howe as a consequence of pneumonia. A sixth consecutive victory in all competitions opens up a five-point lead for Newcastle over sixth-placed Chelsea, with a spot within the high 5 ok for Champions League qualification.
Palace stay down in twelfth with their season now absolutely targeted on an FA Cup semi-final date with Aston Villa later this month.
Newcastle journey to Villa on Saturday in an enormous conflict within the battle for European locations.
But the League Cup winners are pulling away from the chasing pack for a top-five end, buoyed by ending their 70-year await home silverware final month.
“That gave us large confidence,” mentioned Newcastle assistant supervisor Jason Tindall, who’s was deputising for Howe, of lifting the League Cup.
“We had been capable of get pleasure from that for a time period however we knew what our targets had been for the rest of the season – to complete as excessive up the league desk as doable.
“The supervisor at all times leads and units that instance of by no means switching off. They’ve gone on the market, been actually constant and delivering performances.”
Isak wasted two massive early probabilities to open the scoring when he was firstly denied by a tremendous Dean Henderson save after which headed over from Murphy’s attractive cross.
Newcastle solely needed to wait till the 14th minute to open the scoring when Murphy blasted in a outstanding end from a slim angle.
Eze fluffs penalty
Palace had been gifted the possibility to get again into the sport when goalkeeper Nick Pope rushed off his line and worn out Chris Richards in his try and punch the ball clear.
After a prolonged VAR examine, a penalty was lastly awarded.
However, Eberechi Eze’s lackadaisical spot-kick was simply collected by the relieved Pope.
Within a minute, Newcastle had doubled their lead when Guehi become his personal internet as he tried to dam Barnes’ cross in the direction of Isak.
The England defender has been often linked with a transfer to Tyneside and has now scored an personal purpose in every of Palace’s two conferences with Newcastle this season.
“There are some days the place nothing works, and on the similar time every part labored for Newcastle,” mentioned Palace boss Oliver Glasner.
“We could not take care of their depth and directness and tempo.”
It went from dangerous to worse for the guests as Barnes continued his tremendous type with a composed end for his fourth purpose in three video games.
Murphy’s free-kick was then flicked in by Schar to make it 4-0 earlier than the break.
The usually deadly Isak continued to be annoyed in entrance of purpose as Henderson unfold himself to disclaim one other effort from point-blank vary early within the second half.
However, the Swedish striker lastly acquired his twenty fifth purpose of the season with a tremendous end from exterior the realm simply earlier than the hour mark.
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