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Sandro Tonali scored a sensational goal to help give Newcastle three points against Brentford - PA/Owen Humphreys
It was hit from an almost impossible angle and with unstoppable power, a strike as audacious as it was precise – and it came from Sandro Tonali.
Picking up the ball wide on the right flank, Brentford’s defence and, more importantly goalkeeper Mark Flekken, were preparing for the cross. Of course they were, it was the logical thing to do, the sensible thing to do.
There was no way Tonali was going to try and shoot from that far out and from that tight an angle. The Italy international, though, knew exactly what he wanted to do. Most goals from that position are a cross that accidentally goes in, a slice or a mishit that finds the back of the net through good fortune.
But this was deliberate, Tonali hitting through the ball rather than clipping it into the box. It was a sumptuous strike that flew into the top corner at Flekken’s near post. It was a shot that no goalkeeper in the world could have saved precisely because nobody could have anticipated that Tonali had the technique and the accuracy to pull it off.
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Mark Flekken was well beaten by Tonali’s shot - Reuters/Craig Brough
St James’ Park erupted in ecstasy before the entire stadium began to sing Tonali’s name, scarves twirling in the air. “Sandro Tonali, Sandro Tonali, he eats spaghetti, he drinks Moretti...” he hates you know who.
It was a spectacular celebration of a sensational goal that moved the club up to fifth in the table and right back into the Champions League qualification mix. Brentford were dangerous but after two weeks of celebrating winning the Carabao Cup, Eddie Howe’s side secured a vital win.
After all the fuss of the parade, this was an opportunity for St James’ Park to welcome their cup winning heroes home and the noise was befitting of the occasion. As was the football Newcastle played. Howe’s side ripped into Brentford in the early stages, flying down both wings, pinning the visitors inside their own half.
They could have taken an early lead through Alexander Isak, who headed Tino Livramento’s cross just wide, but the early momentum began to stall midway through the half.
Brentford’s game plan was a relatively simple one, hitting quick, long balls over the top of the Newcastle defence, looking to exploit any space left by Newcastle’s two attacking full backs in Kieran Trippier and Livramento.
Simple but effective. It took Newcastle’s vaunted midfield trio out of the game and made sure their two centre-backs had to stay deep, unable to join attacks. The visitors began to regain some control and it took a brilliant defensive header from Trippier to clear Bryan Mbuemo’s cross, preventing Kevin Schade from heading them into the lead.
Newcastle were not sharp enough in their own attacking play with captain Bruno Guimaraes particularly poor. The Brazilian had been the life and soul of last weekend’s trophy winning party but he looked badly off colour, repeatedly giving the ball away cheaply, while looking heavy legged as he tried to get around the pitch.
Bruno can normally do no wrong in the eyes of supporters but yet another under-hit pass had been intercepted by a Brentford player, there were groans of frustration from the home crowd. Still, Newcastle created chances without him, a lovely move down the left, ending when Joelinton dragged a shot narrowly wide.
And, having had a goal ruled out for offside, when Isak held on to the ball for a fraction too long before passing to Harvey Barnes, Newcastle took the lead in first-half stoppage time.
Livramento got things started on the halfway line and when Bruno fed Jacob Murphy, the winger looked up and produced a perfect cross for Isak to guide home after a costly slip by Mbeumo who had tracked his run.
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Isak was on the scoresheet again for Newcastle - Getty Images/Stu Forster
It was the Sweden international’s 20th goal of the season, making him the first Newcastle striker to score to do that in successive seasons. Remarkably, given all the goals he scored, not even the mighty Alan Shearer managed to do that.
Isak’s partnership with Murphy has been a prolific one and without much fanfare they have become one of the most potent double acts in English football. Of Murphy’s 11 assists this season, nine of them have led to goals for Isak, most of them tap-ins.
Isak should have had a second of the night when he was teed up by Barnes, but for once the Swede’s first touch let him down and Schade got back to snuff out the shot.
Murphy was also wasteful, picking Keane Lewis-Potter’s pocket but then dawdling once he got into the box, failing to pass or get a shot away. From the resulting clearance, Newcastle were suddenly resorting to some desperate blocks inside their own box and did not recover their composure.
It was a soft penalty, Nick Pope coming out to gather a chipped pass, only for Yoane Wissa to nip in front of him. The Brentford striker appeared to run into the goalkeeper rather than be taken down but referee Peter Bankes pointed to the spot and Mbeumo converted.
Newcastle have lost games from this position before, but the home crowd drowned out Brentford’s celebrations with a roar and Tonali did the rest with a strike that will go down in Geordie folklore.
10:24 PM BST
Eddie Howe speaking to BBC
10:05 PM BST
Konsa speaking to Sky about Rashford
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Marcus Rashford has now scored three in his last two games - Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
10:03 PM BST
Tonali on Newcastle’s ambitions for the season
10:03 PM BST
Tonali on his improbable goal
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Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali scores their second goal - Reuters/Craig Brough
09:57 PM BST
How the Premier League’s top seven stands
Liverpool have beaten Everton in another tempestuous Merseyside derby. You can follow live reaction to that game here.
09:48 PM BST
Full-time results
Bournemouth 1 Ipswich 2
Brighton 0 Villa 3
City 2 Leicester 0
Newcastle 2 Brentford 1
Southampton 1 Palace 1
09:47 PM BST
How the bottom seven stands
09:46 PM BST
FT: Brighton 0 Villa 3
Villa have been flimsy on the road at times this season, but that is one of their most impressive away showings.Villa jump above Brighton and are within three points of fourth.
09:45 PM BST
FT: Newcastle 2 Brentford 1
Newcastle jump above Chelsea for the time being courtesy of Isak’s 20th Premier League goal of the season and an incredible strike from a tight angle by Tonali.
09:43 PM BST
GOAL! Malen adds further gloss to the scoreline (Brighton 0 Villa 3)
Villa slice through Brighton again as they have done for much of the night, and another sub scores. Villa back into the thick of the Champions League race.
09:42 PM BST
FT: Southampton 1 Palace 1
Southampton restore some pride but they will be gutted not to get the win having lead for so much of the game.
09:39 PM BST
FT: Bournemouth 1 Ipswich 2
A desperately disappointing result for Bournemouth, but Ipswich secure their first win of 2025. They close the gap on Wolves to nine points. It would be the greatest of great escapes, but they do play Wolves next which could make things very interesting.
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Ipswich fans at the final whistle - PA/Zac Goodwin
09:37 PM BST
FT: Man City 2 Leicester 0
Surely City’s most comfortable victory of the season, after Grealish’s early goal it played out like a training session. As things stand, City go fourth with Chelsea playing at home to Spurs tomorrow night.
09:34 PM BST
GOAL! Franca denies Southampton late on (Southampton 1 Palace 1)
Heartbreak for Southampton, who were minutes away from steering clear of Derby’s lowest Premier League points record. The ball is whipped in from the Crystal Palace left, landing on the head of substitute Matheus Franca, whose effort sneaks inside the post despite a touch from the diving Aaron Ramsdale.
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Matheus Franca scores Crystal Palace’s equaliser - Getty Images/Dan Istitene
09:23 PM BST
GOAL! Marco Asensio doubles Villa’s lead (Brighton 0 Villa 2)
That should be game over at the Amex. Marco Asensio has scored off the bench, converting a low cross by Morgan Rogers after Brighton debutant Eiran Cashin had failed to cut out the ball down the line.
09:19 PM BST
GOAL! Sandro Tonali with an audacious effort (Newcastle 2 Brentford 1)
Was it a shot? Was it a cross? Newcastle won’t care, as Sandro Tonali scores with an outrageous effort from near the corner flag. The Italian skips down the right-hand side and arrows a ball towards goal, catching everyone off-guard, not least Brentford stopper Mark Flekken, who can only palm into the roof of his own net. Spectacular goal, but Thomas Frank will be asking questions of his goalkeeper.
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Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali scores from a tight angle - Reuters/Craig Brough
09:11 PM BST
GOAL! Evanilson gets Bournemouth back in the game (Bournemouth 1 Ipswich 2)
The Bournemouth striker with a poacher’s goal after Ipswich goalkeeper Palmer palmed the ball back into a dangerous area.
09:10 PM BST
GOAL! Brentford level from the spot (Newcastle 1 Brentford 1)
Yoane Wissa is through on goal, drawing in Nick Pope. The Newcastle goalkeeper takes the bait and lunges for the ball, ultimately taking out Wissa despite a late attempt to pull his hands away.
Bryan Mbeumo atones for his earlier slip by calmly slotting his spot-kick into the bottom corner. Game on.
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Nick Pope brings down Yoane Wissa - Getty Images/Stu Forster
09:02 PM BST
GOAL! Liam Delap with his 11th goal of the season (Bournemouth 0 Ipswich 2)
Without a win since the turn of the year, what a night Ipswich are having at the Vitality Stadium. Delap applies the finish after Broadhead chases down a lost cause.
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Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap scores their second goal - Reuters/Matthew Childs
09:01 PM BST
NO GOAL: Handball from Mitoma in the build-up (Brighton 0 Villa 1)
Brighton thought they had found an equaliser within just four minutes, with Simon Adingra converting from close range after Emiliano Martinez had made a mess of things, but it has been ruled out. Kaoru Mitoma handled in the build-up. Well, it was more of a bicep than a hand.
08:57 PM BST
GOAL! Immediate reply through Adingra (Brighton 1 Villa 1)
Simon Adingra has not started too many games this season, but provides the goal after some messy Villa defending and poor goalkeeping from Martinez.
08:54 PM BST
GOAL! Rashford strikes again (Brighton 0 Villa 1)
Villa have the lead and it’s another goal (a third in two games) for Marcus Rashford. Trusted to lead the line tonight, he raced onto a long pass by Morgan Rogers and beat Bart Verbruggen in the one-on-one. It all came from a Brighton corner.
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Marcus Rashford of Aston Villa celebrates scoring his team’s first goal - Getty Images/Aston Villa
08:50 PM BST
We are back under way in the second halves
A positive half-time change from Van Nistelrooy... Vardy off, Oliver Skipp on.
08:43 PM BST
Luke’s half-time verdict from St James’
Newcastle have just about deserved their half-time lead. They lost their way a little midway through the half but finished strongly.
Isak should have really scored minutes before when he ran clear and in on goal, but in trying to beat too many players, he did not get a shot away and Harvey Barnes had strayed offside just before he passed to him to head home.
Isak, though, has become far more of a fox in the box this season and in stoppage time, he prodded home from close range from a delicious cross from Jacob Murphy. Those two have become one of the most potent attacking combinations in the league.
08:37 PM BST
Half-time scores
Bournemouth 0 Ipswich 1
Brighton 0 Villa 0
City 2 Leicester 0
Newcastle 1 Brentford 0
Southampton 1 Palace 0
08:33 PM BST
GOAL! Isak provides the breakthrough... who else? (Newcastle 1 Brentford 0)
Brentford have been the stronger team, but it’s the home side who take the lead! Jacob Murphy floats a delivery towards the six-yard box, where Bryan Mbeumo looks well-placed to clear. Misfortune strikes for the Bees’ man as he slips, allowing the pouncing Alexander Isak to side-foot a volley into the net.
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Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak scores their first goal - Reuters/Scott Heppell
08:26 PM BST
40 minutes: Brighton 0 Villa 0
Villa have been denied what looked like (to my eyes) a clear penalty. Hinshelwood was beaten by Ramsey, swiped at the ball and totally missed it. It looked like he simply hacked Ramsey down... not given.
08:22 PM BST
GOAL! Nathan Broadhead strikes for McKenna’s rotated team (Bournemouth 0 Ipswich 1)
Another surprise scoreline at the lower end of the table. Bournemouth have been brilliant, but this is shaping up to be a deflating few days. Long way to go though.
08:15 PM BST
GOAL! City double their lead thanks to Hermansen calamity (City 2 Leicester 0)
Marmoush tucks the ball away after Hermansen collides with his own defender Wout Faes. Or Wout Farce as he is known in some quarters. First as history, then as Faes. We could go on.
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Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush scores their second goal - Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
08:06 PM BST
GOAL! Southampton 1 Palace 0
Having grown into the game, bottom-side Southampton have taken the lead at St Mary’s! Matheus Fernandes swings in a delicious cross for forward Paul Onuachu, who powers a header towards the turf. Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson gets down well, but his touch isn’t enough to stop the ball trickling across the line.
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Southampton’s Paul Onuachu celebrates - PA/Adam Davy
08:04 PM BST
18 minutes: Southampton 0 Palace 0
Having survived an early scare with that Mateta chance, Southampton will be quietly happy with their start here. Palace midfielder Adam Wharton receives a yellow card for a poor challenge on Mateus Fernandes.
08:00 PM BST
14 minutes: Brighton 0 Villa 0
Villa have started brightly here and have had three shots on goal already, through Konsa, McGinn and Rashford. The best player on the pitch in the opening exchanges has been Kamara in midfield. He has already demonstrated his passing range and defensive awareness.
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Rashford has an early chance for Villa - PA/John Walton
07:57 PM BST
12 minutes: Newcastle 0 Brentford 0
After all the fuss of the parade, this is an opportunity for St James’ Park to welcome their cup winning heroes home and the noise they are generating is impressive.
As is the football Newcastle are playing. Howe’s side have ripped into Brentford in these early stages and could have taken an early lead through Alexander Isak who headed Tino Livramento’s cross just wide.
Brentford are trying to weather the black and white storm at the moment and Joelinton has also just flashed a shot beyond the far post after more excellent work down the left from Livramento.
07:55 PM BST
9 minutes: Southampton 0 Palace 0
Early in the game Jean-Phillipe Mateta turned smartly and unleashed a rocket from 25 yards which hit the underside of the crossbar and back out into play.
A couple of minutes later, Fernandes goes close with a deflected shot for the hosts.
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Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta shoots at goal - Reuters/Paul Childs
07:51 PM BST
5 minutes: Newcastle 0 Brentford 0
Tino Livramento escapes down the left-hand side and crosses towards Alexander Isak, who rises above two Brentford defenders to head just wide
07:49 PM BST
GOAL! Grealish gives City the lead (City 1 Leicester 0)
This could be a long night for Leicester, the Etihad might need extra lightbulbs in the scoreboard. All too easy for Grealish to meet a low cross unattended. Leicester behind inside two minutes.
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Jack Grealish scores the game’s opening goal - Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
07:46 PM BST
KICK OFF!
The six 7.45pm kicks-offs are under way. Details of all the goals and key incidents to follow.
07:45 PM BST
From Luke Edwards: An Eddie Howe banner on the Gallowgate End
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07:41 PM BST
Omar Marmoush leads the line
City’s January signing has been impressive so far, stretching defences and buzzing around Erling Haaland. Now he has to do the same in a City team missing their principal focal point.
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Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush (centre) with his team-mates - Reuters/Chris Radburn
07:24 PM BST
Feeling old? This will cheer you up
Teenage right-back Leo Shahar makes the Newcastle bench today, his first appearance in the senior squad. He was born in 2007, almost a year after Alan Shearer played his last game for the club.
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Newcastle youngster Leo Shahar - Getty Images/Harriet Massey
07:21 PM BST
Brighton head coach Hurzeler on his rotation policy
07:12 PM BST
Eddie Howe speaking to Match of the Day
07:06 PM BST
Rashford’s stock continues to rise
It is a measure of Marcus Rashford’s impact at Aston Villa that he is starting ahead of Ollie Watkins against Brighton tonight. Watkins, Villa’s top scorer, is once again on the bench. His recent injury might be a relevant factor but it’s primarily a sign of Unai Emery’s faith in Rashford, who scored twice in the FA Cup at the weekend.
07:01 PM BST
City fans protests against ticket policy and the resale problem
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Manchester City fans hold a banner in protest - PA/Martin Rickett
06:55 PM BST
Best betting sites
Betting on the football today? Take a look at these best betting sites for free bets and betting offers.
06:54 PM BST
Aston Villa’s senior England international Morgan Rogers
He will be looking at a Brighton midfield without Carlos Baleba and plotting some of the storming runs forward.
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Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers - Getty Images/Mike Hewitt
06:47 PM BST
Isak could have a record all of his own
In the most unsurprising team news update of the evening, Eddie Howe has named an unchanged side to the one that ended the club’s 70-year wait for a domestic trophy.
This will be the Magpies first match since that famous day at Wembley two and a half weeks ago and it will be fascinating to see what sort of shape they are in. Already assured of legendary status on Tyneside for ending the trophy drought, can they motivate themselves for the final 10 games of the season and secure Champions League qualification for the second time in three years?
One statistic to be aware of, if Alexander Isak scores this evening he will become the first Newcastle striker to score 20 goals in two successive Premier League seasons since... no, not even Alan Shearer managed that.
06:46 PM BST
Crystal Palace team and subs: Mateta makes first start since ear injury
06:43 PM BST
Southampton team and subs
Your Saints to take on Palace️ pic.twitter.com/svCJP9QsyW
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) April 2, 2025
06:42 PM BST
Brentford team and subs
06:42 PM BST
Newcastle team and subs: Livramento continues at left-back
06:37 PM BST
Aston Villa team news: Pau Torres returns from injury, benched packed with options
06:36 PM BST
Brighton team news: Adingra starts but Baleba a substitute
06:35 PM BST
Leicester City team and subs
06:34 PM BST
Man City team: O’Reilly starts after impressive FA Cup sub appearance
06:33 PM BST
Ipswich team and subs
06:33 PM BST
Bournemouth team news: Kerkez back from suspension
06:31 PM BST
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06:17 PM BST
The European race likely to provide tonight’s best
Good evening and welcome to our live coverage of this evening’s 7.45pm Premier League kick-offs, which precede Liverpool vs Everton at 8pm.
Manchester City will need to cope without Erling Haaland for the next several weeks but have a soft fixture to begin that quest against Leicester City at the Etihad. Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s team have lost 13 of their last 14 Premier League games and with Wolves winning last night their hopes of avoiding relegation seem forlorn.
Brighton vs Aston Villa is an eye-catching game with both sides pushing for a European place and possibly even Champions League qualification. They had contrasting FA Cup weekends, with Villa easing beyond Preston and Brighton suffering penalty pain against Nottingham Forest.
Also in the hunt for a Champions League place is Newcastle United, who must avoid any League Cup parade hangovers against Brentford. Eddie Howe’s team are just two points behind Chelsea in fourth and they have a game in hand, which will be played later this month against Crystal Palace at home. Newcastle have come unstuck against West Ham, Fulham, Brighton and Bournemouth at St James’ Park this though so tonight’s game is not one to take lightly.
Bournemouth are also within touch of the European places and are another team looking to bounce back from an FA Cup exit when they host Ipswich Town. Much like Leicester, Ipswich’s relegation fate looks all but sealed. That would be an understatement where Southampton are concerned, with Ivan Juric saying his team have a goal: to avoid being the worst team in Premier League history. Hard to fault the sentiment or his honesty, but it was still a remarkable thing to hear from a manager. The south coast club host in-form Palace tonight, and Jean-Philippe Mateta could be in line for his first start since that gruesome ear injury.
Full team news on the way shortly.
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