Goals from Alexander Isak and Sandro Tonali helped secure a 2-1 win for Newcastle United over Brentford.
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00:00See how we are in one of the TV rooms here at St James' Park where we're going to reflect on Newcastle United's 2-1 victory over Brentford.
00:12Not the greatest performances from Newcastle United, particularly that second half, but ultimately they found a way to win and that's all that matters after what has been two weeks of celebration.
00:24Eddie Howe and his players got back to business this evening and claimed a massive three points. That season moved up to fifth in the Premier League table, which the top five finishers expected to secure a Champions League football next season because of UEFA co-efficient rules.
00:39So, with nine games remaining, Newcastle are in the picture and have a stance in the driving seat ahead of next Monday's trip to relegation-threatened Leicester.
00:49Starting with the first half, I thought Newcastle deserved it. It wasn't the most vintage performances, as I mentioned, but I thought they deserved that goal.
01:00Alexander Isaac, who Eddie Howe just mentioned there, will agree that he also didn't have his best performance this evening, but scored his 20th Premier League goal of the season and becomes the first Newcastle player to score 20-plus goals in consecutive Premier League seasons.
01:20So, even when he isn't playing well, he's still finding the net and, of course, that is a very, very good sign. So, yeah, he scored just on the edge of half-time. Convert and Jacob Murphy crossed, Brian Mbuno slipped in the box and Alexander Isaac managed to guide the ball home, albeit the ball did take a deflection off Mbuno, but who cares? Newcastle went one-nil up.
01:43Then, in the second half, Brentford started the better. Again, deservedly levelled, really, and they were putting on the pressure a little bit. It was apparently conceded by Nick Pope, the ball over the top, and Nick Pope brings down Ioan Vissar in the penalty area and Mbuno steps up from 12 yards and sends Nick Pope the wrong way and that's 1-1.
02:05I think from that point onwards, I thought Brentford actually looked the more threatening for probably about a five-minute period, but it was a stroke of fortune, shall we say, from Sandro Tonali's cross-turned shot.
02:23Now, there's been a massive debate as to whether Tonali meant it. Tonali himself has said that it was a 70% cross, 30% shot, so uncertainty surrounds if Sandro Tonali meant that. I don't think he did, as he sort of admitted there, but he did say there was an element of why he did mean it.
02:45So, look, it doesn't matter. It was a fantastic strike, venomous effort, real power on that shot. Scored two goals against Brentford in the Cup, Sandro Tonali in December with two magnificent strikes that day. Albeit he might not have meant it, that was also a top draw strike.
03:02So, yeah, his cross from the right-hand side managed to catch Mark Flecking out at the near post and, yeah, that was enough to get Newcastle United victory and, as I say, that's really all that matters from tonight.
03:17Eddie Housley, even sitting there, he was unsure how his player would react from winning that Cup final, but they've managed to react in a really positive way. OK, the performance wasn't quite there, but they've got three points now, don't you? All that matters.
03:30So, yeah, on to Leicester now. Newcastle will hope to have Alexander Isak fit for that one. Just one thing from tonight, there was a couple of knocks. Kieran Trippier took a knock, Kramp, Joe Linton looked to be struggling with a knee injury, but got through the game and Isak was fourth with a draw after feeling that he didn't feel 100% in his groin.
03:53So, yeah, a couple of little niggles there. Hopefully, Newcastle will go to the King Power Stadium with a full selection of players. They'll be boosted by the return of Anthony Gordon, who tonight was the final game of his three-game ban.
04:08So, they'll be boosted by him and they go to a Leicester team who are really struggling at the bottom of the table. If they are to go and qualify for the Champions League, then beating teams like Leicester is an absolute necessity. So, another long break for Newcastle now, but probably a needed one because they had a few sore bodies out there tonight.