Osula and Barnes strike late as Newcastle pile pressure on Palace boss Sage

Newcastle United came from a goalless deadlock to beat Crystal Palace 2-0 at Selhurst Park, with second-half goals turning up the heat on under-fire Eagles head coach Pierre Sage.

Sky Sports reports that it was Will Osula and Harvey Barnes who struck in the second half to seal the win, describing it as a "dreadful second-half showing" from the hosts that has raised the pressure on Sage (Sky Sports). The Sun agrees on the key details, with Harvey Barnes sealing the points and the result heaping "more pressure" on the Palace boss, while also noting Newcastle were bouncing back from consecutive defeats (The Sun). The Guardian focuses more on the dire quality of the contest, calling the first half "one of the worst 45 minutes of football in Premier League history" and pointing to a pass completion rate of just 72.8% and only two shots on target in that opening period (The Guardian).

All three outlets are in agreement on the outcome and the scorers, Osula and Barnes, and all frame the result as a significant blow for Sage given the scrutiny he is already under at Selhurst Park. The Guardian's account suggests the game was a real slog for long periods, with Palace reportedly squandering first-half chances before Newcastle's quality told after the break.

Taken together, the picture is of a scrappy, low-quality afternoon in south London that Newcastle managed to turn in their favour once Osula and Barnes found the net. For the Magpies, ending a mini losing run away from home will be just as important as the pressure it piles on the opposition dugout.

Attention now turns to Newcastle's trip to Goodison Park to face Everton on Thursday night, where Howe's side will hope to build on this response with another positive result on the road.

Written with the help of AI, using the headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.