Newcastle 2-1 W Brom

Miguel Almiron scored the fastest Premier League goal of the season so far and Dwight Gayle scored against his former club as Newcastle beat West Brom 2-1 at St James’ Park.

Paraguayan international Almirón opened the scoring after just 19.98 seconds, Newcastle’s second-fastest goal in Premier League history, only for the visitors to counterattack five minutes after the break with Darnell Furlong’s third goal for him. club.

However, backup Gayle, making his first appearance of the season, won for Steve Bruce’s team with a brilliant header eight minutes from time.

The victory sees Newcastle, which had been badly affected by Covid’s absences in preparation for the game, jump to 11th place in the table, while Slaven Bilic’s men remain in trouble at 19th place after this latest defeat.

How Newcastle Overcome Covid Disruptions To Move Up The Chart

Despite having his preparations for this game heavily hampered by Covid, Bruce was still able to field a strong-looking starting XI against West Brom, with the hosts missing only three players from the side that had started their previous outing at Crystal Palace.

However, all that pre-match talk was soon forgotten, with Newcastle taking the lead straight from kick-off – a serve that wasn’t even theirs! However, West Brom captain Branislav Ivanovic was pulled off the ball by Callum Wilson, who found Joelinton and the Brazilian, with back-to-back assists, and then fed Almiron into the area.

And in his 50th Premier League appearance with the club, Almirón, totally free in the area, swept home the first goal, to deliver Newcastle’s fastest goal in the Premier League since Alan Sherer scored after just 10.52 seconds. against Man City in January 2003.

However, that lightning-fast strike seemed to lull the hosts into a false sense of security, with West Brom growing in proceedings as the competition progressed, and loaned Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher really should have leveled things out just before. of rest.

Bilic made a double change in the interval, bringing in experienced duo Charlie Austin and Kieran Gibbs, with immediate effect as the visitors soon tied after a well-worked goal.

Matt Phillips broke free down the left flank, before setting a cross to the far post for Furlong to return home with a shot his father, Paul, would have been proud of.

But instead of going down the throat and a first road win of the season, West Brom then retired in the fourth quarter, with Bruce feeling his chance as the home team went away with four on the attack after Gayle’s introduction. .

And having already had a header clear of the line with practically his first touch, the forward then drove in the alluring right-hand center of his local teammate Jacob Murphy to break the heart of his old club.

Another late show from Newcastle – Opta stats

• 57% of Newcastle’s Premier League goals this season have come in the last 15 minutes of matches (8/14), the highest proportion in the competition.
• Newcastle have won three of their last five Premier League home matches (L2), more than their previous 11 at St James’ Park (W2 D4 L5).
• West Brom have become the first team to concede 25 Premier League goals this season, while the Baggies have tallied just one point from their six away games so far this season (D1 L5).
• Darnell Furlong’s draw for West Brom was his first Premier League goal, 24 years and 285 days after his father Paul scored his last top flight goal (for Chelsea vs. Wimbledon in March 1996).
• Since joining West Brom prior to the 2016-17 season, Matt Phillips has been involved in more league goals for the Baggies than any other player (42-18 goals, 24 assists).
• Newcastle’s Joelinton has been involved in three goals in his last two Premier League games (1 goal, 2 assists), just one less than in his previous 46 combined in the competition (2 goals, 2 assists).
• Newcastle’s Jacob Murphy has now provided exactly one assist in each of his three Premier League campaigns, setting the Dwight Gayle winner just 118 seconds after coming in as a substitute.

Whats Next?

Newcastle will face Leeds United at Elland Road on Wednesday night (6pm), while West Brom will face Manchester City at the Etihad on Tuesday night (8pm).