Newcastle win six-goal thriller at Brentford to end season on high note
After failing to score in his previous 11 appearances, Ivan Toney thought he had finally ended his barren spell when he found the net in the third minute, only to see his simple finish chalked off for an offside in the build-up.
Moments later, the England international was presented with another golden chance, but he could only fire his right foot shot straight at the resolute Nick Pope, back in the starting XI for the first time since February.
After surviving those early scares, Newcastle should have taken the lead through Joelinton, who conspired to send the ball wide from Alexander Isak’s low cross.
Fortunately for the Brazilian midfielder, his miss was soon forgotten as Harvey Barnes met Bruno Guimarães’ inviting delivery to steer his header past Mark Flekken.
Newcastle then had a goal ruled out for an offside infringement, but it did little to stop them building momentum at the Brentford Community Stadium.
The confident visitors ultimately grabbed a deserved second in the 36th minute when Jacob Murphy tucked the ball home from Isak’s inch-perfect cross.
The Sweden international celebrated a goal of his own less than two minutes later, firing into the bottom corner after the hosts had sacrificed possession in their own half.
Following a disastrous end to the first period, the Bees managed to gain a foothold in the opening stages of the second half. Vitaly Janelt latched onto Yoane Wissa’s neat pass to guide home his first goal since February 2023.
As the contest reached the 70-minute mark, Wissa turned from provider to scorer, cutting inside onto his right foot before curling an unstoppable strike beyond the outstretched Pope.
A gripping final-day encounter then provided more drama when Newcastle saw a penalty decision overturned after the officials ruled Bryan Mbeumo’s clumsy challenge had taken place outside the box.
After breathing a sigh of relief, Brentford’s mood soon changed when Guimarães pounced on a rebound from the subsequent free-kick to add a fourth and wrap up all three points.
Having secured seventh spot, Newcastle’s hopes of securing European qualification now rest on whether Manchester City can win the FA Cup. As for the Bees, they finish the campaign in 16th place with 39 points to their name.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Alexander Isak (Newcastle United)
