Brentford Beat Newcastle 4-2
Brentford maintained the best home record in the Premier League with a 4-2 victory over Newcastle in an entertaining match.
Yoane Wissa restored Brentford’s lead with his ninth goal in eight league games following a mistake by Harvey Barnes, but the English winger atoned with a fine turn and finish for 2-2.
Wissa came close early in the second half for Brentford when his deflected shot was turned on to the post by Nick Pope, but central defender Nathan Collins did convert with a left-footed finish following a free-kick.
And Kevin Schade clipped home late on to ensure Brentford have now won seven and drawn one of their eight home league games this season.
The tone for an open game, played in torrential rain amid Storm Darragh, was set after three minutes when Sean Longstaff cracked the crossbar with an 18-yard effort.
After eight minutes, Brentford led. Christian Norgaard, making his 100th Premier League appearance, spread a pass to the right wing for Mbeumo who cut inside. His shot flicked off Fabian Schar and past the static Pope.
But four minutes later, Newcastle equalised when Jacob Murphy’s speculative shot from 25 yards was pounced on by Isak flinging himself in the way to head home.
Newcastle had the better chances to take the lead but were punished for not taking them when Barnes gave the ball away in his own half with a loose pass. Wissa picked it up, ran at the retreating defence and curled a fine finish past Pope from the edge of the area.
Barnes made amends in the 32nd minute, allowed too much time and space in the Brentford area to turn and finish low through the legs of Norgaard and past Mark Flekken at the far post.
But the winner came in the 56th minute when Newcastle’s defence allowed a long set-piece from Flekken to bounce in the area, with Collins stroking his second goal of the season across Pope.
And the victory was sewn up late on when Mbeumo fed Schade who cleverly clipped his shot over the advancing Pope for 4-2.
Alexander Isak has been directly involved in seven goals in Newcastle’s past seven league games
If you want entertainment this season, the only place to go is the Gtech Community Stadium.
A league-high 40 goals have now been scored at Brentford’s ground in just eight league matches in 2024-25.
Mbeumo has been a major contributor to this. He had never scored more than eight in a Premier League season before but has nine already in this campaign, though his goal today was his first in six matches.
He has helped Brentford to the best home record in the Premier League this season, now earning 22 points from eight games while scoring 26 goals.
They are at times too frail in defence to look like they can maintain a consistent push for the European places, twice here conceding four minutes after going ahead.
But they have now won five consecutive top-flight home matches for the first time since 1937, scoring at least three goals in each.
There could have been even more goals to add to the Gtech tally had Newcastle not wasted several chances.
Isak has been directly involved in seven goals in Newcastle’s past seven league games, scoring five and setting up two – but he should have scored a sixth when he robbed a defender then rounded Brentford keeper Flekken.
The Swedish striker took too long to apply the final touch though, allowing Flekken to scramble back and parry the ball away.
Also in the first half, Bruno Guimaraes flashed a volley just wide from 25 yards and Murphy headed over a Barnes cross from six yards out.
It means Newcastle have now only won twice in their last 11 league matches, and here suffered their first league loss to Brentford since January 1948.
It leaves Newcastle stuck in the bottom half, 12th with five wins, five draws and five losses this season. Brentford by contrast are sixth, four points off the top four.
