After a stormy week on Tyneside – bets and not Babet the cause of most damage – an afternoon of calm on the pitch.
This as good as defined domination, so superior were Eddie Howe’s Newcastle and, in particular, their England defender Kieran Trippier. He did not score but assisted Jacob Murphy for the opener and played a part in two others. At £12million, he ranks as one of the greatest signings in the club’s history.
At £52m, meanwhile, Sandro Tonali risks being one of their biggest mistakes. The former Milan midfielder is set to learn his punishment for alleged illegal betting this week, with Newcastle braced for a ban of at least 12 months from Italian authorities.
Howe faced over 30 questions on the subject on the eve of this game, but his players answered one quite emphatically here – they should be just fine without him.
Indeed, it was only when Tonali was introduced in the 70th minute that one of the club’s four summer signings featured. The boys from last season are again doing the heavy lifting this time around, although they made light work of Roy Hodgson’s Palace.
Anthony Gordon and Callum Wilson were both on the scoresheet as Newcastle won 4-0
The win boosts Newcastle to fifth in the table on 16 points behind Arsenal and Tottenham
Sandro Tonali, who is under investigation for alleged illegal betting, replaces Bruno Guimaraes
If this is Tonali’s last game at St James’ Park until next season, he will at least leave having felt the love of the home crowd, as Howe had asked during that media grilling. The 23-year-old was afforded a welcome roar louder than any of the goals.
By that point, the game was won. In fact, it had been since the moment Newcastle led on four minutes. Jacob Murphy was the scorer, lobbing Sam Johnstone after accepting the most delightful first-time lay-off from Trippier. The goal was only awarded after an original offside decision.
But what of Palace? The last of Storm Babet was blown out of town overnight, leaving behind a sedate and sunny Saturday. And sleepy just about captured the visiting approach. Captain Joel Ward tried to sound the alarm during a break in play on 10 minutes, but this lot just weren’t for rousing.
Newcastle keeper Nick Pope could have set up a deckchair and enjoyed that mid-autumn sunshine. The biggest threat to his goal was a back-pass from Fabian Schar that he allowed to run a little too close to the target.
The hosts, somewhat belatedly, made it 2-0 just before half-time when Murphy centred and Anthony Gordon volleyed in unopposed at the far post. Then, in first-half injury-time, Palace defender Marc Guehi failed to deal with Trippier’s forward ball and slipped, allowing Sean Longstaff to charge through on goal and finish easily beyond Johnstone. Guehi and Johnstone did not look like England players here.
Sean Longstaff scored Newcastle’s third goal of the game just before the half time whistle
Tonali is consoled by manager Eddie Howe at the end of the game as they thank the fans
Callum Wilson scores Newcastle United’s fourth goal against Palace at St James’ Park
Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi holds his hands up to the fans after their side’s 4-0 loss
But most of the Newcastle XI did and they had a fourth English scorer on 66 minutes when Trippier fed Murphy and he swept into the path of Callum Wilson, who was never likely to miss when one-on-one with Johnstone 10 yards from goal.
Tonali was sent out in front on the post-match lap of honour, and it felt a little like a goodbye, at least for now. Howe insists the player has a long-term future at the club.
But while he is gone, Newcastle are in safe hands. They have climbed to fifth in the table on the back of five unbeaten and are now five points off top. This was what Howe needed after a turbulent week.
