This is why Eddie Howe never substitutes Bruno Guimaraes. You don’t take off your scriptwriter when the story is untold.
Not for the first time, Newcastle’s captain took his pen and turned a sleeper into a thriller in the closing pages. There is a charisma about the Brazilian that craves attention, and boy did his side need someone to emerge as their leading man as this game entered the final 20 minutes.
It had made headlines in the build-up when Howe hit back at a reporter amid accusations of the head coach having no Plan B. With this game goalless on the hour, Howe stuck to Plan A but changed the personnel within it.
There were some grumblings when one of three hooked was Sandro Tonali, but it more about who he left on. Guimaraes knew his side needed inspiration and he duly conjured it.
Harvey Barnes deserves mention for his impact as one of those trio of 63rd-minute arrivals, and it was from his deep cross that the outstanding Lewis Miley hooked back into the goalmouth.
Guimaraes showed more desire and cunning than a posse of visiting jerseys and headed in from a few yards out on 71 minutes. With it, the mood and momentum changed.
The Newcastle captain knew his side needed inspiration and he duly conjured it, opening the scoring in the 71st minute – showing more desire and cunning than a posse of visiting jerseys
Given Newcastle have lost 13 points from winning positions this season – and Palace were not without moments on the break – a second goal was always going to be needed to seal the win
Still, given Newcastle have lost 13 points from winning positions this season – and Palace were not without moments on the break – a second goal was always going to be needed before victory felt assured.
The hosts had it seven minutes later when Guimaraes delivered a corner that proved torturous for Dean Henderson and his defenders to deal and, after they made a mess of several attempted clearances, Malick Thiaw simplified things with a close-range prod. Game over and, for only the second time this season, back-to-back wins for Newcastle, who climbed back into the top half of the Premier League.
Not that they had it all their own way here. It can sometimes need a perceived injustice or flashpoint to ignite St James’, and after a cold start they had that on 19 minutes. Newcastle would rather Anthony Gordon’s four-yard finish had stood, of course, but when the giant screen showed creator Yoane Wissa to be a sleeve offside, it stoked both crowd and team.
Before that, the hosts had struggled with a Palace set-up that saw debutant Brennan Johnson and Yeremy Pino too often wander free in the No.10 domain. At one point, Newcastle centre-back Fabian Schar debated the concern with his dugout. The disallowed goal, though, raised the home tempo and volume.
There was a Lewis Hall blast palmed over by Henderson and, when Joelinton netted with a cool tuck just before the break, it was an assistant’s flag that denied them this time rather than a VAR check.
It felt like the game could be drifting towards a frustrating finish for the hosts after a scrappy start to the second half. That was when Howe looked to his bench and looked to his captain – between them, they scribed winning finale.
