Sandro Tonali's remarkable cross-shot was the difference as Newcastle United beat Brentford 2-1 at St. James' Park.

With 16 minutes to play, the Italian caught Mark Flekken off guard with a drilled effort from the right touchline that, if deliberate, is a goal of the season contender.

Alexander Isak had earlier given his side the lead on the stroke of half-time after an underwhelming opening period, poking in Jacob Murphy's cross.

Bryan Mbeumo equalised from the spot midway through the second half after Nick Pope brought down Yoanne Wissa, before Ethan Pinnock hit the post.

Tonali then struck the winner to lift Eddie Howe's side into fifth with Leicester City up next. Brentford, meanwhile, stay 11th and take on Chelsea this Sunday.

How the match unfolded

An uneventful first half saw both sides struggle to muster much quality, Isak going close when he planted a close-range header wide from Tino Livramento's cross after just two minutes.

Harvey Barnes whipped a shot wide and was then flagged offside after putting the ball in the net – a decision confirmed by the VAR – but just as a half-time stalemate seemed inevitable, Murphy dug out an excellent delivery and Isak capitalised on Mbeumo's slip to prod his side ahead.

Murphy and Barnes fluffed second-half chances, but Brentford grew in confidence and drew level after 66 minutes, Mbeumo sending Pope the wrong way from 12 yards after the Newcastle goalkeeper had brought down Wissa inside the box.

Two minutes later, the Bees were almost in front when Pinnock's header hit the inside of the post as Brentford looked to take advantage of Newcastle's tiring legs.

Howe's side were able to ride the wave of pressure from their opponents and stole the points when Tonali struck a stunning effort from the touchline that Flekken could not keep out.

Magpies build on EFL Cup victory

Newcastle did not hit the same heights as they did at Wembley Stadium against Liverpool in their EFL Cup final win, but Howe won't lose too much sleep over that, as his side inch ever close to UEFA Champions League qualification.

This was still an efficient performance, with Tonali an eye-catching performer at the heart of midfield and scoring a winner that will not be forgotten in a hurry.

Isak, who scored in their clash with Arne Slot’s side last month to seal their first major trophy in 70 years, also did his thing in attack, despite having missed a couple of opportunities before eventually breaking the deadlock in first-half stoppage time. 

The Swede looked set to be an unpopular member of the hosts' dressing room at half-time having ignored a simple square ball for Barnes to tap in but found time to make amends by poking home the opener.

Isak has now scored in six of his side's last eight home league matches, five of which have been converted into victories.

Should that run continue and propel the Magpies into the Champions League, it would also give his club the best possible chance of keeping hold of him next season.

Brentford hit their ceiling again

Much has been made of the contrast between Brentford's home and away form this season, but the secret behind their inconsistency really seems to be the quality of their opposition.

The Bees now sit 11th having won 12 Premier League matches this season, with nine of those victories coming against teams below them and another two coming against 10th-placed AFC Bournemouth.

The only three points they have taken against teams above that was the reverse fixture against Newcastle, which they won 4-2. Nine of their 12 defeats, meanwhile, have come against teams above them in the league – with the three exceptions coming against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.

They will rue Pinnock's near miss when they had the upper hand after Mbeumo's equaliser at St. James', while they continued to cause problems until the end with Kevin Schade and Mikkel Damsgaard going close to snatching a point in the closing stages.

For Thomas Frank, it was the latest reminder of why they have struggled to bridge the gap to the teams chasing European qualification.