EPL: Newcastle United Thrash Crystal Palace 5-0 to Close Gap on Arsenal

Newcastle United dominated Crystal Palace with a 5-0 win, moving within four points of Arsenal in the Premier League table.

Newcastle United surged to third place in the Premier League with a dominant 5-0 victory over Crystal Palace at St James' Park. Despite the absence of manager Eddie Howe, who is recovering from pneumonia, the Magpies delivered a ruthless performance.

Jacob Murphy opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a stunning right-footed strike from a tight angle that squeezed past Dean Henderson. Palace had a chance to get back into the game when Nick Pope fouled Chris Richards in the box, but the Newcastle goalkeeper made amends with a comfortable save from Eberechi Eze's spot-kick.

The miss proved costly as Newcastle doubled their lead just minutes later when Marc Guehi turned a Harvey Barnes cross into his own net. Barnes then scored his fourth goal in three games, beating Maxence Lacroix with a brilliant step-over before firing across Henderson.

Before halftime, Fabian Schar headed in Jacob Murphy's cross to extend Newcastle's lead further. In the second half, Alexander Isak scored his 25th goal of the season with a fine 25-yard finish into the bottom corner after Joelinton won the ball back from Lacroix.

Newcastle's dominant win was their biggest of the season, moving them two points clear of Nottingham Forest and four points behind second-placed Arsenal with six games remaining.

Crystal Palace's struggles continued as they conceded five goals for the second consecutive game, following their 5-2 loss to Manchester City. The visitors came close to a consolation goal when Daniel Munoz's header was blocked on the line by teammate Eddie Nketiah. Despite the loss, Palace remain 12th in the table with 43 points.

Eddie Howe is expected to return to the dugout for Newcastle's home game against Ipswich Town on April 26. In his absence, assistant coaches Jason Tindall and Graeme Jones have maintained the team's winning streak by sticking with the same starting lineup. This consistency has paid off, with Newcastle securing six consecutive victories.

Newcastle's impressive run has moved them within four points of Arsenal, with the two teams set to face each other in the Magpies' penultimate game of the season. With their Carabao Cup victory already securing a spot in the Europa Conference League, Newcastle is well-positioned to qualify for the Champions League. They are five points clear of sixth-placed Chelsea and have a favorable run-in, including matches against Aston Villa, Ipswich, Brighton, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Everton.

A performance for the ages by @NUFC 🤩#NEWCRY pic.twitter.com/MryMn52bhi

— Premier League (@premierleague) April 16, 2025

Alexander Isak ended a goal drought, scoring his 21st league goal and keeping his impressive form going. Despite having a couple of promising chances early on, set up by Jacob Murphy, Isak made the most of his opportunities later in the game, showcasing his quality as Newcastle's top scorer.

Jacob Murphy took matters into his own hands, scoring the crucial first goal and continuing his impressive form. The 30-year-old has now scored three goals in as many matches, with six goal involvements in four games.

Harvey Barnes also posed a threat on the left wing, contributing to Marc Guehi's own goal before scoring himself. Meanwhile, Crystal Palace's struggles continued, with only one win in their last four games. Despite a five-point gap to eighth-placed Bournemouth, Palace still harbors hopes of qualifying for European competition.

However, Palace's defensive issues persist, even with captain Marc Guehi's return to the backline after a one-match suspension. With an FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa looming, boss Oliver Glasner will be keen to address these problems and regain form to keep their trophy hopes alive.