Jacob Murphy opened the floodgates for Newcastle (ANDY BUCHANAN)
Newcastle soared into third within the Premier League with a 5-0 thrashing of Crystal Palace to shut in on a return to the Champions League subsequent season.
Jacob Murphy, Harvey Barnes, Fabian Schar and Alexander Isak had been on track for the Magpies, with Marc Guehi additionally scoring an personal purpose, as Newcastle made mild of the absence of supervisor Eddie Howe because of pneumonia.
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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 totally centered 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.
However the League Cup winners are pulling away from the chasing pack for a top-five end, buoyed by ending their 70-year look forward to home silverware final month.
Isak wasted two large early probabilities to open the scoring when he was firstly denied by a effective Dean Henderson save after which headed over from Murphy’s engaging cross.
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Newcastle solely needed to wait till the 14th minute to open the scoring when Murphy blasted in a outstanding end from a slim angle.
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.
Nevertheless, Eberechi Eze’s lackadaisical spot-kick was simply collected by the relieved Pope.
Inside a minute, Newcastle had doubled their lead when Guehi changed into his personal internet as he tried to dam Barnes’ cross in the direction of Isak.
The England defender has been frequently linked with a transfer to Tyneside and has now scored an personal purpose in every of Palace’s two conferences with Newcastle this season.
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It went from dangerous to worse for the guests as Barnes continued his effective 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.
Nevertheless, the Swedish striker lastly obtained his twenty fifth purpose of the season with a effective end from outdoors the realm simply earlier than the hour mark.
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