Newcastle warmed up for their Champions League showdown with Borussia Dortmund with a 4-0 Premier League demolition of Crystal Palace as Sandro Tonali returned to action.
The Italy international, who is subject to an investigation into allegations of betting breaches, was introduced as a second-half substitute to warm applause from the locals among a crowd of 52,189 at St James’ Park.
Jacob Murphy’s early strike and further goals from Anthony Gordon and Sean Longstaff before the break put the Magpies in the driving seat and Callum Wilson cemented the points with 24 minutes remaining to send his side into Wednesday night’s clash with Dortmund on Tyneside brimming with confidence.
If Eddie Howe headed home in positive mood, opposite number Roy Hodgson set off on the long journey back to South London reflecting on a bad afternoon for his injury-plagued squad.
Newcastle needed just four minutes to force their way in front, if a little fortuitously, when Kieran Trippier cushioned Fabian Schar’s long pass perfectly into the path of Murphy, who hooked the ball towards Callum Wilson at the far post only to see it loop over keeper Sam Johnstone and into the net – and an offside decision was eventually reversed after a VAR check.
The visitors might have been level almost immediately after Jean-Philippe Mateta got his head to Will Hughes’ corner, but he could not find the target, and Johnstone had to make a solid save to keep out Murphy’s 25th-minute strike from distance.
Gordon went desperately close on the half-hour when he met Murphy’s deflected cross first time and saw his effort come back off the crossbar, and Wilson could not climb high enough at the far post to direct Trippier’s 34th-minute cross at goal three minutes later.
Newcastle were utterly dominant and effectively wrapped up the game with two goals inside three minutes as the first half drew to a close.
First Murphy was allowed to stride forward and cross for Gordon to slide home at the far post with 44 minutes gone and then in stoppage time defender Marc Guehi’s slip served up the ball for Longstaff to steady himself before firing low past the helpless Johnstone.
Palace resumed determined to restore a measure of pride with Jordan Ayew to the fore and they might have reduced the deficit within eight minutes had Schar not thrown himself into the path of Odsonne Edouard’s shot.
Keeper Nick Pope, who had enjoyed a quiet afternoon until that point, had to race from his line to prevent Ayew from running on to Johnstone’s long 61st-minute clearance, and then fielded Cheick Doucoure’s 66th-minute shot comfortably.
Newcastle increased their lead within seconds when Murphy once again found space down the right to cross for the unmarked Wilson, who took a controlling shot before sliding the ball past Johnstone.
That proved to be the striker’s final involvement as he, Kieran Trippier, Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon were replaced by Alexander Isak, Tino Livramento, Tonali and Miguel Almiron, who had a chance to make it 5-0 within five minutes of his arrival, but saw his attempt blocked by Johnstone.
Pope had to claw Edouard’s late free-kick out of his top corner and then blocked substitute Jesurun Rak-Sakyi’s shot at his near post to preserve his clean sheet.
