Newcastle United have taken another step towards qualifying for the Champions League after coming from behind to beat Southampton 3-1 at St James' Park.
Stuart Armstrong opened the scoring for the visitors in the 41st minute, but Newcastle looked a different side after the break following the introduction of substitute Callum Wilson. It was Wilson who equalised in the 54th minute before Theo Walcott later put through his own net in the 79th minute. Wilson then sealed all three points with another poacher's finish late on.
Here are five things we learned from the game.
READ MORE: Newcastle United vs Southampton highlights
Newcastle pass mentality test
Bottom of the table Southampton had failed to win any of their previous eight games, but Newcastle could not afford to underestimate the visitors. The Saints, after all, gave title-chasing Arsenal an almighty scare in a 3-3 draw at the Emirates just last week.
Similarly, little more than a week on, Southampton went into the break 1-0 up at St James' after the clinical visitors landed a sucker punch on the counter through Stuart Armstrong right before half-time. Newcastle fans fell deafeningly silent as the away end taunted: "Champions League you're having a laugh!"
How would Newcastle respond? That is what true Champions League contenders do, after all. Well, Newcastle underlined their top four credentials by roaring back after the break, scoring three goals in 35 minutes.
Callum Wilson 'celebration' sets the tone
It is a decision that does not get any easier for Eddie Howe with each passing week: does the Newcastle head coach start record signing Alexander Isak or top scorer Callum Wilson? It is hard to think of another occasion where there has been such intense competition for a single starting spot at the club. In recent years, at least.
Isak ultimately got the nod on Sunday, but it was not long before the pair were on the pitch together again after Wilson replaced Gordon at the break. They soon combined.
There were 54 minutes on the clock when Isak, shifted out to the left in the second half, picked out his team-mate inside the area with a low cross and the number nine stabbed home to level things up. It was Wilson's seventh goal this month but, rather than celebrate, the striker simply led his team-mates back to their own half for the restart so the game could get back under way.
Newcastle duly took the lead in the 79th minute, when Sven Botman's header from Kieran Trippier's corner took a deflection off Theo Walcott and nestled in the net, before Wilson sealed all three points after rounding McCarthy just a couple of minutes later. Wilson, in the process, became the first player to score 15 goals in a Premier League season for Newcastle since Demba Ba. To think Wilson only scored once between November and March - the 31-year-old now looks re-energised.
Ruthless half-time substitution pays off
Anthony Gordon has had to be patient, but the winger got the opportunity to make his full home debut on Sunday - exactly three months completing his move from Everton. It ultimately only lasted 45 minutes.
Gordon started the game brightly and it was noticeable how often his team-mates tried to get the ball to the 21-year-old to get him running at Lynaco, the Southampton centre-back who technically lined up out of position on the right at St James'. However, Gordon is still clearly getting up to speed.
There were 19 minutes on the clock when Alexander Isak slipped Gordon in one on one with a smart through ball, but the winger fired the ball off the outside of the post just when it looked like the net was about to bulge. Then, a few minutes later, Bruno teed Gordon up in a near-identical move once more, but the mid-season signing took too long to either shoot or pick out a team-mate and Lyanco was able to get back to shepherd the ball out of play.
Remarkably, Newcastle failed to test Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy in the first half and, after Stuart Armstrong landed a sucker punch before the break, something had to change at the break. It was Gordon who paid the price and the mid-season signing was replaced by Callum Wilson at half-time. That ruthless substitution quickly paid off.
Another step closer?
This was Newcastle's third and final game of a demanding week, but the Magpies simply had to take all three points - by whatever means necessary. As Callum Wilson said: "It's been a big week. We've got to finish it off."
That's what Newcastle ultimately did. With the games running out for their rivals, Newcastle have now strengthened their grip on a place in the top four and the black-and-whites moved a whopping 11 points clear of Spurs before the Londoners travelled to Anfield to face Liverpool in the evening kick-off.
St James' cauldron lies in wait for Arsenal
There was a quick turnaround from the Everton game on Thursday night and, while Howe made four changes, Newcastle looked like a side who were playing their third game in a week in the opening 45 minutes. A flat first-half performance was mirrored on the terraces, but the stadium came to life after the break as Newcastle came from behind. It said it all that Geordies were soon singing: "Have you ever seen a Mackem in Milan?"
Newcastle have now won their last four fixtures at St James' Park by an aggregate score of 13-3. To think Newcastle still have three games to come at this fortress where the black-and-whites have lost just once all season. Even title-chasing Arsenal won't exactly be relishing a trip to Tyneside next week.
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