Burnley 1-4 Newcastle — Match Report: Top-5 Finish now a possibility!?

05/05/2024 11:00

The Magpies might have send another team down to the Championship.

Newcastle United completed another demolition by beating Burnley 4-1 at Turf Moor, and getting closer to accomplishing two things on their way there, including (almost) sending another team down to the Championship after doing so to Sheff Utd last week and (almost) clinching European football qualification for next season.

After Saturday's win at Burnley, it feels like the pursuit of European qualification is done for the most part with the only thing left to know is whether the Magpies will play in the Europa or the Conference League. There is also the chance of finishing inside the EPL's top five, mostly because the remaining three matches in Newcastle's schedule have Eddie Howe's team in control of their future for the most part.

The victory over Burnley was marked by goals from a returning Callum Wilson playing on the forward strata in a 4-4-2 formation, Sean Longstaff, Bruno Guimaraes, and Wilson's partner-in-crime Alexander Isak.

Newcastle's win was critical following Chelsea's victory over Tottenham Hotspur, although that result also benefited NUFC in their pursuit of a top-5 finish removing a few points from the Spurs' potential tally.

The Magpies went up three goals in the first half alone, where Wilson, Longstaff, and Bruno each found the net, giving Newcastle a comfortable lead. Isak added to the tally in the second half, shortly after missing a penalty, securing his 20th league goal of the season—the first Newcastle player to reach this milestone since Alan Shearer two decades ago.

Burnley managed a consolation goal through Dara O'Shea, but it did little to alter the outcome, let alone their almost-failed effort to avoid getting relegated to the second-flight division ahead of next season.

Individually, Saturday's contest was Eddie Howe's 100th Premier League match as the head coach of the Magpies and it came with his 49th victory on the bench of Newcastle. It was funny to see Howe go for an old-time 4-4-2 formation on this precise centenary date, although it worked wonders for the lads.

Wilson scored his ninth league goal this season with Gareth Southgate in attendance. Coming off an injury and with so little time before now and the start of Euro 2024, it's hard to know if he will do enough to convince the Three Lions gaffer to add him to the final squad for the European Championship.

Despite several key players being injured all season long, things are starting to look much better for Newcastle as Howe introduced all of Joelinton, Miguel Almiron, Elliot Anderson, and Harvey Barnes off the bench, giving the coach a much-needed depth to rotate players and come up with more flexible and better solutions during the final three games of the season.

Looking forward, Newcastle will play Brighton, Manchester United, and Brentford. The Magpies are currently positioned sixth in the table, but games between other teams around them (namely Tottenham and Man Utd) could help them climb up to fifth when all is said and done.

Tottenham have yet to play Liverpool and Manchester City and are showing signs of faltering, and the head-to-head matchup between the Red Devils and NUFC could put an end to Manchester's hopes of overtaking Newcastle.

For now, however, Newcastle will have to focus on beating Brighton at St James' Park on Saturday, May 11th.