Newcastle United moved back into the top four after in-form Alexander Isak made history with two goals in a 3-1 win at struggling Southampton.
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The Magpies made it seven wins in eight Premier League matches after recovering from an early blow against the bottom side, who have now lost six consecutive home league matches for the first time in their history.
Isak became the first Newcastle player to score in five consecutive Premier League away games after cancelling out Jan Bednarek's 10th-minute opener with a first-half penalty.
The Swedish striker then sent Newcastle ahead 30 minutes in, making it 14 goals in his last 11 games in all competitions and 17 in the Premier League already.
Sandro Tonali extended the visitors' advantage with a well-taken finish six minutes after the interval.
Mateus Fernandes thought he had halved the deficit after racing in behind late on, but a VAR review found the Portuguese midfielder offside, with the on-field decision overturned.
Southampton remain bottom of the table, 10 points adrift of Wolverhampton Wanderers in 17th, while Newcastle are a point clear of fifth-place Chelsea, who visit Manchester City later on Saturday.
How the match unfolded
The hosts opened the scoring against the run of play when an unmarked Bednarek headed James Bree's right-wing cross into the top-right corner.
Newcastle hit back 16 minutes later though when Isak swept into the bottom-left corner from the spot after being fouled by Joe Aribo. Referee Samuel Barrott initially waved away penalty appeals before overturning his on-field decision after the VAR recommended a review.
The turnaround was complete shortly after when Jacob Murphy danced inside and slotted through for Isak, who bounded in behind and coolly fired past the onrushing Alex McCarthy.
Martin Dubravka had to be alert to turn away Taylor Harwood-Bellis' acrobatic effort early into the second half, and that save proved pivotal minutes later when Anthony Gordon sent Tonali clean through to slide it into the back of the net.
Murphy was then denied by the post before Fernandes burst in behind onto McCarthy's long ball and rifled past Dubravka, though a VAR review adjudged Fabian Schar had not touched the ball and found the Southampton midfielder offside.
Familiar struggles for sorry Saints
Ivan Juric's side remain with just one win in the 2024/25 season – a 1-0 triumph over Everton back in November – after again snatching the lead before collapsing, as they did against Manchester United just nine days ago.
Southampton survived an early wave of pressure before capitalising at the other end through Bednarek's well-placed header, their first goal at home in four league games.
Adam Armstrong tested Dubravka's hands soon after with a curling attempt before blazing over, albeit on his weaker left foot, though the hosts' defensive issues soon were exposed by Isak's first-half double.
Southampton's backline was nowhere to be seen yet again when Isak chested down for Gordon, whose first-time pass sent Tonali racing through before sending McCarthy the wrong way with a disguised finish.
Captain Bednarek showed his defensive colleagues how to do it for one moment in the second half, clearing off the line when Joelinton seemed destined to drive into the bottom corner – but the damage was already done by that point.
Juric desperately needs improvements at both ends of the pitch if Southampton are to mount an unlikely climb up the table, starting with a huge clash away at Ipswich Town next Saturday.
Ice-cold Isak inspires Newcastle
Howe may have been concerned when Bree was afforded far too much room to lift onto the head of Bednarek, given how easily Newcastle were cut open in their 4-1 thrashing by AFC Bournemouth last time out.
The Newcastle manager will have been pleased with his side's resolve, though, inspired by the talismanic Isak, who now has 15 goals in just 13 Premier League appearances against promoted sides.
He first came to the rescue when receiving a deft pass from Bruno Guimaraes before Aribo hauled him down from behind for the spot-kick leveller.
Isak posed more problems when exchanging with Guimaraes before his drive was repelled by McCarthy, who had no chance later on when the Newcastle talisman burst behind and converted Murphy's incisive pass.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Liverpool
LIV
|
22 | +33 | 53 |
| 2 |
Arsenal
ARS
|
23 | +23 | 47 |
| 3 |
Nott'm Forest
NFO
|
23 | +6 | 44 |
| 4 |
Man City
MCI
|
23 | +17 | 41 |
| 5 |
Newcastle
NEW
|
23 | +14 | 41 |
| 6 |
Chelsea
CHE
|
23 | +15 | 40 |
McCarthy thwarted Isak once more after 35 minutes, though Newcastle needed their own man at the back in the second half when Dubravka reacted quickly to deny Harwood-Bellis after a scramble from a right-sided corner.
Isak showed his decisive link-up play as well for Tonali's strike, while Murphy rattled the woodwork with a left-footed drive that would have added further gloss to a rampant victory.
Howe will now be challenging his side to replicate this performance when they next host fellow European challengers Fulham.
Club reports
Southampton report | Newcastle report
What the managers said...
Ivan Juric: "My guys gave everything they had. They are fighting, and played well. Of course the situation is very bad, but I am seeing moments.
"I don't have negative things to say to them. It's not easy, of course. I tell them to just keep working hard. But it was not a penalty, it can never be. He's in front of the ball."
Eddie Howe: "We needed to really dig deep and it's a big win for us. We needed a big response after last week, and we needed a quick response.
"It was a real test of our character after conceding early on but we didn't look back after the penalty."
On Isak, he said: "I thought he was really, really good in the first half. He linked play so well. He was fantastic."
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