Newcastle United 5 Crystal Palace 0 | OneFootball

Eddie Howe's men - who were again led by assistant manager Jason Tindall as the head coach recovers from pneumonia - strengthened their grip on fourth place by winning their game in hand on the sides around them in impressive fashion.

Unchanged once again following their weekend win over Manchester United, Newcastle started brightly and could have been in front inside the opening minute as a Jacob Murphy cross flashed across goal with Alexander Isak and Joelinton both failing to get a touch.

Then in the seventh minute, Bruno Guimarães' inch-perfect pass sent Murphy racing down the right and the winger cut back for Isak, whose shot looked destined for the back of the net but Dean Henderson got down to save superbly.

Two minutes later, a flowing move saw Sandro Tonali feed Kieran Trippier, who laid off to Murphy to cross first time but Isak's header went just over the bar.

Murphy deservedly opened the scoring as Guimarães found Tripper, who played the ball down the line for Murphy, with the 30-year-old crashing home from an acute angle with what looked to be an audacious and wholly intentional strike.

Will Hughes was narrowly off-target with a shot from the edge of the box after a lay-off from Marc Guéhi as Palace looked for a leveller, and they were presented with a real opportunity from the penalty spot.

Nick Pope came to punch a high, hanging cross and while he appeared to get a slight touch to the ball, he also connected with Chris Richards and following a lengthy VAR check, referee Darren England awarded a spot-kick. However, Eberechi Eze's stuttering run-up was followed by the tamest of penalties and Pope was able to save easily.

Two minutes later, Eze's embarrassment was compounded when Newcastle doubled their advantage with Tino Livramento playing in Harvey Barnes, whose cross defected in off Guéhi.

Jean-Philippe Mateta shot straight at Pope in the 40th minute before the Magpies responded with another brilliant move. Guimarães' pass allowed Trippier to gallop forwards and find the Brazilian in the box; Guimarães chopped inside and but back for Isak, but Richards blocked and United's top scorer slashed wide from the rebound.

The long wait for a decision on the Palace penalty meant seven minutes of stoppage time at the end of the first half - and Newcastle made every second count.

In the second minute of the added time, a swift break saw Guimarães and Tonali combine to release the in-form Harvey Barnes, who dashed into the box and finished unerringly with his left foot.

Then in the final moments of the half, a clever free-kick saw Trippier backheel to Murphy, who delivered a teasing cross for Fabian Schär to head beyond Henderson.

The Palace goalkeeper made another good save in the second half, denying Isak after Dan Burn headed into the Swede's path.

But Isak was never going to be kept out for too long and when Joelinton picked the pocket of Maxence Lacroix in the 58th minute, he stroked home from the edge of the box for his 25th goal of the campaign.

Palace substitute Eddie Nketiah hit the side-netting in the 86th minute then forced a save from Pope in stoppage time, but United kept an 11th Premier League clean sheet of the season - and the five-star showing took Newcastle up to third.