Crystal Palace were poor in the second half, and Newcastle needed barely a minute to make them pay. The visitors won 2-0 at Selhurst Park on Sunday, lifted themselves into the top half of the table, and left Pierre Sage with a problem that is getting harder to hide.
A forgettable first half, a sudden second
The opening 45 minutes gave nobody much to talk about. Then Matthias Jaissle's team came out and struck almost immediately. William Osula turned home an excellent cross from Jacob Murphy just after the restart. It was a goal that said plenty about Newcastle's mood: Osula had been out injured and was back in the team.
"Absolutely, very happy to be back," he told BBC Radio Newcastle. "Thank God I'm back on the pitch injury-free and blessed now." The three points mattered, he added, but so did being part of the goal.
Barnes makes it two
The second came just before the hour. Harvey Barnes slammed in a finish, having seen a tight offside call earlier deny his team-mate Joe Willock. Palace, by contrast, never found a way back into the game.
The result gave Newcastle 11 points and their first clean sheet since August. They sit eighth. Palace are 17th on seven points.
What it means for Sage
Sage is now under serious pressure at Selhurst Park, and the next games will decide how long that lasts. Palace badly need a positive result. For Jaissle, the picture is brighter, with his side in the top half and, for once, not conceding. The aim now is to climb higher than eighth in the coming weeks.
Match facts: Crystal Palace 0-2 Newcastle United, Premier League, Selhurst Park, Sunday 25 October 2026. Goals: William Osula (Newcastle) just after half-time, assist Jacob Murphy; Harvey Barnes (Newcastle) just before the hour. Newcastle 11 points, 8th; Palace 7 points, 17th. Managers: Pierre Sage (Palace), Matthias Jaissle (Newcastle).
0 Comments