Newcastle United have leapfrogged Brentford into 14th place in the table following a 2-0 win against the Bees in London on Saturday.
The visitors took full advantage after Josh Dasilva was sent off for a horror tackle on Matt Targett in the 11th minute and goals from Joelinton and Joe Willock gave the Magpies an unassailable lead at half-time.
Here are five things we learned from the game.
Go here for all the latest Newcastle United news
Others step up again as Newcastle cope without key men
Allan Saint-Maximin may have been sat in an oxygen tent in Monaco on Thursday, as he stepped up his recovery from a calf injury, but Eddie Howe understandably wanted to make a late call on the Frenchman.
It is easy to see why. Going into this game, Saint-Maximin had been directly involved in more Premier League goals (eight) than any other Newcastle player this season and had also created the most chances (37) and had the most shots (47).
Saint-Maximin may have been in a 'very good place mentally and very eager to return' on the eve of this game, but the forward was ultimately not risked so Newcastle again had to pick up points without the mercurial forward as well as Callum Wilson and Kieran Trippier.
Whereas that was once an unimaginable prospect, Newcastle again managed without such key players and Ryan Fraser and Matt Targett caused Brentford real problems down the left.
Josh Dasilva's early red card undoubtedly changed the game but, crucially, Newcastle actually made that advantage count. Newcastle peppered David Raya's goal with shots - 26 all told - and Joelinton eventually broke the deadlock after the half-hour mark before Joe Willock doubled the visitors' advantage just before half-time.
For all the new signings Newcastle made last month, perhaps, it was fitting that Joelinton and Willock popped up with the goals as two players who have thrived under Howe.
Joelinton celebration sums up turnaround as watching owners spared one job
Joelinton sprinted the length of the field to celebrate in front of the away end as the Brazilian's team-mates struggled to catch up with him after he headed Newcastle in front.
If ever a moment summed up a remarkable turnaround in fortunes. It was just over two years ago, after all, that Joelinton endured one of his most difficult afternoons in a Newcastle shirt as the record signing struggled up front against Rochdale in the FA Cup. In fact, some of the club's own fans jeered Joelinton, who was desperately low on confidence.
However, Joelinton has become a firm fans' favourite since then - his song was sung on loop for five minutes by the away end after he scored - and the £40m man is literally a different player as a midfielder under Howe.
Such is Joelinton's form, and potential, the watching Jamie Reuben, Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi will already know that is potentially one less position they will have to strengthen in the summer. Indeed, new signing Bruno Guimaraes can't even get into the starting line-up right now.
Newcastle fans are looking up again under Eddie Howe
It is one thing moving up to 14th place, having played two games fewer than Brentford, but leapfrogging the Bees in the process is a huge psychological bonus.
It shows how far Newcastle have come in just a few weeks following a remarkable swing in results. Brentford, after all, were ninth at one point in December - 10 points clear of Newcastle - but the Bees have now won just one of their last 11 top-flight fixtures.
In contrast, during the same period, in-form Newcastle have picked up 19 points from a possible 36 and the Magpies now have a real platform to push on after seven games unbeaten in the top-flight.
Was it any wonder that supporters sang 'E-I-E-I-E-I-O Up the Premier League we go' for the first time in a long, long while? Newcastle are on their best run of form since 2011 and, at this rate, it would be a surprise if Eddie Howe was not named manager of the month.
There is work to do yet, but Newcastle are well on track to stay up as Brentford, Leeds, Watford and Norwich continue to struggle.
Brentford see a very different Newcastle
When these sides met in the reverse fixture, in Eddie Howe's first game in charge, Newcastle scored three goals yet still failed to beat Brentford following a 3-3 draw at St James' Park.
At one point in the topsy turvy game, Newcastle were ahead for just 75 seconds as the leaky Magpies threw away yet another lead from a winning position.
A lot has changed since then and Newcastle have become much stronger side defensively thanks to a combination of some smart recruitment in January and some productive hours on the training pitches. It sounds so obvious, but every intense drill has had an element of what the coaching staff want the players to do on match day and it has showed in recent weeks.
New signings Dan Burn and Matt Targett have certainly strengthened the left side of that defence, but Newcastle have become a much nastier outfit out of possession, highlighted by the performances of Joelinton, Jonjo Shelvey and Joe Willock in the middle of the park of late.
Brentford are a real threat from free-kicks and corners - nearly half of the Bees' goals this season have come from set-pieces - yet Newcastle dealt with that rather easily.
Also, when Brentford rallied after the break, aided by the introduction of Christian Eriksen from the bench, Newcastle held firm and kept a clean sheet.
Kieran Trippier making a contribution even when injured
Kieran Trippier's first thought after fracturing a bone in his foot was how he could continue to help his Newcastle team-mates - even from the sidelines.
Perhaps, then, it was not a surprise that Trippier travelled with the squad to Brentford on Saturday despite being on crutches.
Tripper may not have been playing, but you can bet the England international's mere presence had a positive effect on his team-mates, whether it was in the team hotel the night before or on the team bus to the game.
You see, as much as Trippier has made an impact on the field since completing his £12m move from Atletico Madrid, the right-back has made a huge contribution off it, too.
As well as raising standards further around the training ground, Trippier has led by example.
Whether it was standing up and calmly telling those around them to forget about the humiliating defeat against Cambridge and take one game at a time or repeatedly urging his team-mates to keep their heads whenever they took a lead or were pegged back, Trippier has been invaluable in that respect.
We want to hear your thoughts, so LOG IN and leave your comment below.
