Newcastle took a giant step towards Premier League survival as second half goals from Jacob Murphy and Allan Saint-Maximin gave them a vital 2-1 win over Burnley on Sunday.
The result moves the Magpies six points clear of 18th placed Fulham who have played one more game than Steve Bruce's side.
Things did not get off to great start for Newcastle when Matej Vydra gave the Clarets the lead in the 18th minute. Chris Wood was instrumental in the build-up, maneuvering past several black and white shirts before pulling it back for Vydra to smash home.
Burnley continued to create the better opportunities in the first half but Newcastle might have had a penalty when James Tarkowski caught Matty Longstaff in the head while clearing the ball. However, after a VAR check the England international was not penalised.
The game was transformed by the introduction of Saint-Maximin just before the hour mark. Two minutes after his arrival the forward broke free down the right and laid the ball into the path of Murphy, who drove home from a difficult angle.
Soon after Saint-Maximin had a goal of his own, carrying the ball from his own half before twisting and turning in the box and firing home. After going behind Burnley struggled to break down a resolute Newcastle. The Magpies even went close to adding to their lead when Miguel Almiron's shot was cleared off the line. Again, Saint-Maximin was crucial in carving out the opportunity.
The result is a massive boost for Newcastle in their fight against relegation and Bruce was understandably delighted.
"This win is big but there's still a bit to go. Certainly it's a helping hand. It's an important game, so to win it was very good. It's been difficult with our injuries. You can see what Allan Saint-Maximin brings to the team. We've missed that bit of quality and excitement," the Magpies boss told Sky Sports after the game (via the ChronicleLive).
Source: 90min
