Sandro Tonali's remarkable cross-shot was the difference as Newcastle United beat Brentford 2-1 at St James' Park.
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With 16 minutes to play, the Italian caught Mark Flekken off guard with a drilled effort from the right touchline.
Asked if it was deliberate, Tonali said: "Honestly, 70 per cent cross, 30 per cent shot. It was too strong, so powerful. It was difficult for the 'keeper, but also difficult for me."
Tonali's goal against Brentford
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 penalty spot midway through the second half after Nick Pope brought down Yoane Wissa, before Ethan Pinnock hit the post.
Tonali then struck the winner to lift Eddie Howe's side into fifth place with Leicester City up next. Brentford, meanwhile, stay 11th and take on Chelsea this Sunday.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Liverpool
LIV
|
30 | +43 | 73 |
| 2 |
Arsenal
ARS
|
30 | +30 | 61 |
| 3 |
Nott'm Forest
NFO
|
30 | +15 | 57 |
| 4 |
Chelsea
CHE
|
30 | +17 | 52 |
| 5 |
Man City
MCI
|
30 | +17 | 51 |
| 6 |
Newcastle
NEW
|
29 | +10 | 50 |
How the match unfolded
In an uneventful first half, both sides struggled to muster much quality, though Isak went 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 with his spot-kick 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 he 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 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.
Their only victory against teams above them was in 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 (twice) and Manchester United.
Brentford 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.
Club reports
Newcastle report | Brentford report
What the managers said
Eddie Howe: "It wasn't pretty. I don't think we played as well as we did against Liverpool. Tonali has a thunderbolt of a strike when he does go for goal. I am mightily relieved to see it hit the net. Always after the international break the games are different. We had players in different physical moments and we looked to have picked up a few minor injuries but hopefully nothing to keep anyone out of the next game. We are relieved to come through with the three points."
Thomas Frank: "I'm proud of the performance, happy with the players' performance and I think besides the first moment and the last minute, I felt we kept them quiet in the first half. Ethan went close to scoring and unfortunately, Tonali scores from a cross. That is one in a million and then in the end we had good chances. We performed well and then the fine margins didn't go our way. It was an even game, it could have gone either way."
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Key facts
Newcastle United have won 10 of their last 12 league matches against Brentford (D1 L1), scoring two or more goals in 11 of those matches.
Murphy (seven assists) and Isak (one assist) have combined for eight Premier League goals this season, more than any other duo. Meanwhile, only Andrew Cole and Peter Beardsley have ever combined for more goals in a single campaign in the competition for Newcastle (nine in 1993/94).
Mbeumo has scored all 10 of the penalties he’s taken in the Premier League; only Yaya Toure (11/11) has a better 100 per cent ratio in the competition’s history.
Isak scored his 20th Premier League goal of the season, becoming the third Newcastle player to score 10+ goals both home and away in a single campaign in the competition after Andrew Cole (1993/94) and Alan Shearer (2001/02).