Newcastle United found the sharper edge after the interval at Selhurst Park, beating Crystal Palace 2-0 on Sunday 25 October in the eighth round of the Premier League. William Osula broke a tight contest two minutes into the second half before Harvey Barnes added the finish that made the afternoon safe enough for the visitors, despite Palace spending much of the closing spell around the Newcastle box.
Why it landed this week
- Crystal Palace
- Newcastle United
- William Osula
- Harvey Barnes
- Jacob Murphy
- Yéremy Pino
- Jean-Philippe Mateta
Palace began with the greater urgency. In a crowded third-minute sequence, Axel Disasi had efforts blocked before Jean-Philippe Mateta was twice denied from close range. Tyrick Mitchell then saw a shot repelled, while Mateta later curled narrowly wide after Pino had released him on the counter.
Newcastle gradually made the game more physical and more their own. Harvey Barnes had two attempts blocked, both supplied by Jacob Murphy, and Dan Burn headed just past from Lewis Hall’s free-kick delivery. The interval arrived without a goal, though both sides had made their intentions fairly clear.
The decisive moment came quickly after the restart. Murphy sent over a cross from the right and Osula finished from close range with his left foot to give Newcastle the lead in the 47th minute.
There was a brief suggestion that the visitors had doubled it five minutes later when Joe Willock found the net. VAR ruled the goal out, with Willock having been offside following Joelinton’s through ball. Newcastle did not need to dwell on it. Their pressure continued through a run of corners, and Barnes eventually converted Amar Dedic’s assist from the middle of the area in the 58th minute.
Palace push but Newcastle hold firm
Palace turned to Eddie Nketiah and Darío Osorio shortly after the second goal, replacing Mateta and Dwight McNeil. Osorio brought fresh running and was involved in several late attempts: his low strike was saved, another effort flew over, and he also set up Adam Wharton for a shot stopped low to the goalkeeper’s left.
The home side kept asking questions from set pieces. Chris Richards and Disasi both missed headers, while Nketiah headed wide from Pino’s corner in the ninth minute of added time. Pino himself had a late effort blocked, and Disasi saw a long-range shot repelled as Newcastle defended their two-goal advantage.
Newcastle made a triple change in the 77th minute, bringing on Anthony Elanga, Jacob Ramsey and Yoane Wissa for Barnes, Willock and Osula. Sean Steur replaced Joelinton eight minutes later, while Malick Thiaw came on for Dedic in stoppage time after the substitute required treatment.
There were cautions for Newcastle’s Nico González, Fabian Schär and Hall. Palace’s Pino, Anan Khalaili and Jaydee Canvot also went into the book. Schär received treatment during the second half, but the visiting defence stood up to the late stream of Palace corners and crosses.
For Palace, a promising opening and a determined finish brought no return. Newcastle, more clinical when the match opened up, left south London with a clean sheet and a result built on Osula’s early second-half strike and Barnes’ composed follow-up.
