By our man at St James’ Park
NEWCASTLE UNITED’S St James’ Park fortress stood tall as the Magpies kicked off 2026 with a clinical 2-0 demolition of a drifting Crystal Palace.
In the biting Tyneside chill, the Geordie faithful turned the stadium into a black-and-white cauldron, roaring their side to an eleventh consecutive home game without defeat.
While the Gallowgate End spent much of the first half frustrated by the linesman’s flag—with Anthony Gordon and Joelinton both seeing strikes chalked off—the atmosphere never dipped, eventually wilting the resolve of Oliver Glasner’s men.
The breakthrough finally came in the 71st minute when the roof nearly lifted off the stadium.
Skipper Bruno Guimaraes showed more desire than the entire Palace backline, sniffing out a loose ball after Lewis Miley’s header to nod home from point-blank range.
If that goal sparked a party, the second just seven minutes later turned it into a riot.
Malick Thiaw was the hero of the hour, the German defender pouncing in a crowded six-yard box to poke home after another wicked corner from Guimaraes caused total carnage.
Palace, handing a debut to £35million man Brennan Johnson, had their moments under the North East lights.
Johnson almost silenced the home crowd with a stinging effort, but Nick Pope—returning to his best—produced a plunging save that kept the clean sheet intact.
For the Eagles, Selhurst Park must feel like a lifetime away.
They have now slumped to seven games without a win, tumbling to 14th in the table while Newcastle climb into the top half.
As the final whistle blew, the “Blaydon Races” rang out across the city, confirming what every visiting team already knows: coming to St James’ Park right now is a one-way ticket to trouble.
