Alexander Isak scores twice as Newcastle relegate Sheffield United with big win
Premier League: Newcastle United 5 Sheffield United 1
Alexander Isak took his tally for the season to 23 as Newcastle recovered from a dreadful start to end Sheffield United’s stay in the Premier League with a 5-1 victory.
The Blades took a deserved fifth-minute lead through Anel Ahmedhodzic to silence a crowd of 52,196 at St James’ Park as the Magpies turned in a dismal first-half performance, yet still went in level at the break courtesy of Isak’s sweet strike.
They scored four times inside 18 second-half minutes through Bruno Guimaraes, Isak, Ben Osborn’s own goal and substitute Callum Wilson to secure a 5-1 win which relegated the visitors and took their total against them in two games this season to a Premier League record 13 goals following September’s 8-0 victory at Bramall Lane.
Eddie Howe’s men fell behind with just five minutes gone when the visitors worked a short corner move for Ahmedhodzic to head Gustavo Hamer’s cross past Martin Dubravka.
It might have been 2-0 within three minutes had Dan Burn not managed to intervene as Cameron Archer, whose pace allied with Ben Brereton Diaz’s physicality proved a problem throughout, prepared to shoot after breaking from his own half with the hosts in disarray.
Ahmedhodzic blocked a Sean Longstaff shot after Guimaraes had slid him in with the Magpies slowly emerging from their torpor, although Burn had to make another important block to deny Archer after the striker had comprehensively beaten Fabian Schar.
Brereton Diaz capitalised on Schar’s misjudgement under a high ball to race in and test Dubravka at his near post, but the home side were level with 26 minutes gone when Jacob Murphy played the perfect ball into Isak’s run in behind Auston Trusty and the striker
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