Dwight Gayle scored the winner on his first appearance of the season as Newcastle returned from a coronavirus-enforced absence to heap more misery on struggling West Bromwich Albion.
Gayle, who was injured during pre-season, came off the bench to find the net with a superb header eight minutes from time at St James’ Park on Saturday.
The Magpies, playing for the first time in more than two weeks, were given the lead after just 20 seconds by Miguel Almiron.
West Brom’s improvement after half-time was rewarded by Darnell Furlong’s excellent equaliser.
But Gayle’s strike against the club where he once spent time on loan lifted Newcastle to 11th in the Premier League table, at least for the time being, while West Brom remain 19th.
Gayle and Newcastle’s successful return
This was a successful return for both Gayle and Newcastle.
The Magpies’ training ground was closed for a week after a Covid-19 outbreak which caused their game against Aston Villa to be postponed.
Newcastle only returned to training on Tuesday, with manager Steve Bruce saying that, as of Monday, he had huge doubts over how many players he would have available for this fixture.
As it turned out, Bruce was only missing two players that started in the win at Crystal Palace last time out, though the absence of both Federico Fernandez and Javier Manquillo left a defensive shortage that usual midfielder Isaac Hayden filled with aplomb.
After their enforced lay-off, the hosts flew out of the blocks through Almiron’s rapid strike and continued to have the better of the first half, posing a constant threat on the break.
However, West Brom grew into the game at the end of the opening 45 minutes, improved further after a half-time rejig and were rewarded with Furlong’s equaliser.
Pushed back, Newcastle introduced Gayle to make his return from a knee injury suffered in a pre-season friendly against Crewe.
He immediately saw a header cleared off the line by Matt Phillips, but another header, from a wonderful cross supplied by fellow substitute Jacob Murphy, left Sam Johnstone with no chance.
West Brom empty handed again
West Brom arrived in the north-east of England with only one away point all season, a single win in the Premier League and on the back of a capitulation on being reduced to 10 men in the 5-1 defeat by Crystal Palace last weekend.
If manager Slaven Bilic was under pressure and in need of a reaction from his players, the early signs were not promising.
From a West Brom kick-off, a long ball saw Branislav Ivanovic outmuscled by Callum Wilson, with Joelinton collecting the ball to square for the free Almiron, who finished from an angle.
The Baggies were disjointed and toothless, missing the guile of Matheus Pereira, who was beginning his suspension for last week’s red card.
After two goals in the past two weeks, Conor Gallagher kickstarted West Brom before Bilic’s half-time intervention breathed life into his team. The experienced Charlie Austin was introduced to provide a threat up front, while Phillips was released to play further forward.
It was Phillips’ deep cross that provided the goal, Furlong energetically nipping in ahead of the dithering Jamaal Lewis to poke a smart finish inside the post. For Furlong, it was a first Premier League goal some 24 years after father Paul last scored in the top flight.
West Brom were dominant, Newcastle pushed back – yet the visitors could not create another telling opening.
And just as Bilic changed the game with his substitutions, so too did Bruce with the decisive introduction of Gayle.
More to follow.
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Newcastle United
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Squad number26Player nameDarlow
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Squad number17Player nameKrafth
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Squad number14Player nameHayden
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Squad number2Player nameClark
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Squad number15Player nameLewis
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Squad number24Player nameAlmirón
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Squad number36Player nameS Longstaff
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Squad number8Player nameShelvey
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Squad number11Player nameRitchie
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Squad number13Player nameC Wilson
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Squad number9Player nameJoelinton
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Squad number12Player nameGayle
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Squad number22Player nameYedlin
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Squad number23Player nameMurphy
West Bromwich Albion
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Squad number1Player nameJohnstone
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Squad number6Player nameAjayi
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Squad number20Player nameIvanovic
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Squad number27Player nameO’Shea
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Squad number2Player nameFurlong
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Squad number18Player nameGallagher
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Squad number19Player nameSawyers
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Squad number10Player namePhillips
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Squad number17Player nameKrovinovic
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Squad number7Player nameRobinson
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Squad number29Player nameGrant
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Squad number3Player nameGibbs
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Squad number13Player nameGrosicki
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Squad number15Player nameAustin
Line-ups
Newcastle
- 26Darlow
- 17KrafthSubstituted forMurphyat 80′minutes
- 14Hayden
- 2Clark
- 15LewisBooked at 35minsSubstituted forGayleat 69′minutes
- 24AlmirónSubstituted forYedlinat 86′minutes
- 36S Longstaff
- 8Shelvey
- 11Ritchie
- 13C WilsonBooked at 90mins
- 9Joelinton
Substitutes
- 4M Longstaff
- 7Carroll
- 12Gayle
- 16Hendrick
- 22Yedlin
- 23Murphy
- 41Langley
West Brom
- 1Johnstone
- 6AjayiBooked at 69mins
- 20IvanovicBooked at 88mins
- 27O’Shea
- 2FurlongBooked at 35mins
- 18GallagherSubstituted forGrosickiat 80′minutes
- 19Sawyers
- 10Phillips
- 17Krovinovic
- 7RobinsonSubstituted forGibbsat 45′minutes
- 29GrantSubstituted forAustinat 45′minutes
Substitutes
- 3Gibbs
- 8Livermore
- 11Diangana
- 13Grosicki
- 15Austin
- 24Kipré
- 25Button
Live Text
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Match ends, Newcastle United 2, West Bromwich Albion 1.
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Second Half ends, Newcastle United 2, West Bromwich Albion 1.
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Callum Wilson (Newcastle United) is shown the yellow card.
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Romaine Sawyers (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Callum Wilson (Newcastle United).
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Foul by Kieran Gibbs (West Bromwich Albion).
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Callum Wilson (Newcastle United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Matt Phillips (West Bromwich Albion).
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Matt Ritchie (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Ciaran Clark.
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Branislav Ivanovic (West Bromwich Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Branislav Ivanovic (West Bromwich Albion).
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Callum Wilson (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Matt Phillips (West Bromwich Albion).
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Dwight Gayle (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Substitution, Newcastle United. DeAndre Yedlin replaces Miguel Almirón.
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Offside, West Bromwich Albion. Darnell Furlong tries a through ball, but Charlie Austin is caught offside.
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Goal! Newcastle United 2, West Bromwich Albion 1. Dwight Gayle (Newcastle United) header from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Jacob Murphy with a cross.
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Attempt blocked. Jonjo Shelvey (Newcastle United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Dwight Gayle.
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Substitution, West Bromwich Albion. Kamil Grosicki replaces Conor Gallagher.
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