Crystal Palace 0-2 Newcastle United: Osula and Barnes Secure the Win

Newcastle United won 2-0 away at Crystal Palace in the Premier League, ending their recent losing run and climbing to seventh in the table.

Coming off defeats to Coventry City and Aston Villa, Newcastle got the job done thanks to second-half goals from William Osula and Harvey Barnes.

The hosts started on the front foot and came close as early as the 3rd minute. In a scramble following Adam Wharton's dangerous free kick into the box, Jean-Philippe Mateta tested the goalkeeper twice in quick succession, but Lukas Hornicek produced superb reflexes to keep him out.

Driven on by a packed Selhurst Park, Palace kept pressing and registered 8 shots in the first 26 minutes. However, Mateta, Daichi Kamada and Dwight McNeil were all unable to beat Hornicek when chances fell their way. In the closing moments of the first half, Axel Disasi narrowly failed to get a touch on Yeremy Pino's cross into the box, and the teams went in goalless at the break.

Newcastle United emerged for the second half a completely different side and immediately made their opponents pay for their missed chances. In the 47th minute, Osula met Jacob Murphy's pinpoint cross and finished cleanly to put his side 1-0 up.

Six minutes after the opener, Willock found the net from Joelinton's ball in behind the defence, but the goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR review. The visitors kept up the pressure and doubled their lead with a well-worked attack. After Nico Gonzalez shielded the ball, Amar Dedic slipped it to the unmarked Barnes, and the experienced forward drilled a powerful shot into the left corner to make it 2-0.

For the rest of the match, Hornicek stood tall in goal whenever Palace threatened, through Wharton and a long-range effort from Dario Osorio, keeping a clean sheet and securing all 3 points.

Osula continued his fine form as Newcastle bounced back on the strength of an impressive second-half display. Having scored just 2 goals in his first 50 Premier League appearances, the young striker has now reached 7 goals in his last 13 matches. Murphy, who provided the assist for the opener, registered his 31st league assist in a Newcastle shirt, drawing level with Robert Lee on the club's all-time list of top league assist providers and sharing third place behind Nolberto Solano (54) and Alan Shearer (35). Barnes, who settled the contest, was also one of the standout performers in the victory.