Newcastle Smash Crystal Palace 5-0 to Climb to Third in Premier League
Newcastle United surged into third place in the Premier League standings after a dominant 5-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Wednesday, boosting their hopes of securing a Champions League spot next season. Goals from Jacob Murphy, Harvey Barnes, Fabian Schar, and Alexander Isak — along with a Marc Guehi own goal — sealed a comprehensive win, despite manager Eddie Howe being absent due to pneumonia
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This victory marks Newcastle’s sixth straight win across all competitions, giving them a five-point cushion over sixth-placed Chelsea. With the top five teams earning Champions League qualification this season, the Magpies are well-positioned for a return to Europe’s top competition.
Crystal Palace, meanwhile, stay in 12th place, with their focus now shifting to an upcoming FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa later this month.
Newcastle’s next test is against Villa on Saturday, a crucial clash in the race for European qualification. The Magpies, who lifted the League Cup last month to end a 70-year trophy drought, are playing with renewed confidence.
“That silverware gave us a real lift,” said assistant coach Jason Tindall, who stepped in for Howe. “But we always knew the goal was to finish as high in the league as possible. The manager sets the standard, and the team has responded with consistent performances.”
Isak had a couple of early chances to score but was denied by Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson. However, Newcastle broke the deadlock in the 14th minute when Murphy found the net with a stunning strike from a tight angle.
Palace were handed a lifeline when Nick Pope fouled Chris Richards in the box, resulting in a penalty after a lengthy VAR review. But Eberechi Eze’s tame effort was easily saved by Pope.
Just moments later, Barnes whipped in a dangerous ball that Guehi accidentally diverted into his own net — his second own goal against Newcastle this season.
Palace manager Oliver Glasner admitted his team couldn’t match Newcastle’s pace or intensity. “Sometimes, nothing goes your way — and everything works for the opponent,” he said.
Barnes added a third for Newcastle with a calm finish before Schar nodded in Murphy’s free-kick to make it 4-0 before halftime.
Despite several missed chances, Isak finally found the back of the net with a well-taken strike from distance in the second half — his 25th goal of the season — wrapping up an emphatic performance.