Newcastle United climbed up to third place in the Premier League after a resounding victory over Manchester United.
Just 35 days after the Carabao Cup final, a day in which the Magpies had barely laid a glove on the Red Devils, here they made no mistake as they pummelled David De Gea's goalmouth with chance after chance in both halves. And while it may have taken until past the hour mark for Joe Willock and Callum Wilson to find the magic moments, it was well worth the wait for a bouncing St James' Park.
With 11 matches to go, and games in hand over Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle's Champions League fate is in their own hands - and this win certainly helped cement a return to Europe in one form or another for the first time in a decade.
READ MORE: Newcastle United vs Manchester United - Highlights and reaction from St James' Park
The tone in this clash was set early by the black and whites as they looked to gain revenge over Man United in a superb style on Tyneside. A trio of tough away games now lies in wait at West Ham, Brentford and Aston Villa but Eddie Howe's team done exactly what was asked of them here.
Newcastle won a corner in only the second minute with Kieran Trippier tasked with whipping the ball in but the Red Devils easily cleared their lines. The Magpies had a decent opening with six minutes on the clock when the ball was clipped in by Trippier for Alexander Isak in the box with the Sweden striker heading down to Sean Longstaff only for Lisandro Martínez to get the block in.
There's no doubt that Longstaff's effort was a big early moment and the game remained goal-less with 10 minutes gone at St James' Park. It had been a ferocious start from Newcastle with the visitors seeming determined to provoke the home crowd with some very obvious time-wasting.
Man United had to rely on David De Gea on 15 minutes as he made a superb double save to first keep out Isak and then Joe Willock on the follow up. Moments later, Allan Saint-Maximin shimmied on the left before striking a tame shot at De Gea.
With 20 minutes played Saint-Maximin crossed from the left but Longstaff's effort went wide although he was later shown to be in an offside position. It had been a good start to the contest at a sunny St James' but the teams reached the half-hour mark still locked at 0-0.
Man United were on the back-foot again in the 31st minute when Willock's shot was deflected wide for a corner before the visitors cleared again from the set-play. Diogo Dalot's deflected effort on 33 minutes was Man United's first effort on target but it was a routine moment for the otherwise unworked Nick Pope.
On 37 minutes Saint-Maximin made a menacing attack down the left before finding Longstaff but his effort flashed just past goal - with St James' fans on their feet in anticipation of the opener. Moments later, Saint-Maximin cut the ball back to Willock but he blazed over.
Newcastle went in for the interval after doing everything but score in the opening 45 minutes. The first chance of the second half arrived inside 90 seconds when the Magpies were awarded a free-kick but Trippier's powerful effort only resulted in knocking down his own team-mate Fabian Schar who required treatment for a head injury.
A darting run by Saint-Maximin led to a corner on 53 minutes in a moment that lifted the Gallowgate End. A short corner routine led to Trippier lofting the ball into the box but nobody got on the end of it.
Erik Ten Hag's side responded with a shot from Antony from the right but his low effort was gathered easily enough by Pope. There was another close shave for Man United on 57 minutes when Schar ventured forward but struck inches wide.
Man United made their first tactical changes just after the hour mark when Anthony Martial and Jadon Sancho replaced Wout Weghorst and Antony. The Magpies then prepared a clutch of changes themselves but with the ball staying in play, Howe and his coaching team had to delay things a little.
However, this ended up paying off as a flowing move saw Isak play in Bruno down the right and the Brazilian was able to hang the ball up to the back post. Saint-Maximin stooped low to head the ball across the face of goal and there was Willock to score from close range with an almost unmissable chance.
With 65 minutes gone, Howe did go back to a couple of those substitution calls with Joelinton and Anthony Gordon both called into the fray. Saint-Maximin and Murphy went off as Newcastle set their sights on a huge win.
There were 14 minutes left when De Gea made another fine stop to deny Joelinton and push his header on to the bar after a corner kick. Willock broke down the left on 78 minutes but his effort whistled past the post at the Gallowgate End. Seconds later, Isak's afternoon was brought to an end when he was replaced by Callum Wilson.
Man United's last throw of the dice came in the closing stages as Fred, Victor Lindelof and Facundo Pellistri came on for Scott McTominay, Martinez and Raphael Varane. Youngster Elliot Anderson replaced the goalscorer Willock with eight minutes left.
The Magpies doubled their lead with two minutes left thanks to Wilson who headed home off the base of the post to make it 2-0. Trippier's free-kick was curled into the box and Wilson beat his marker to nod home his first goal since February against West Ham.
Newcastle could have extended the lead further when Schar missed from close range after he was played in deep into stoppage time but the game was by then done and dusted. Howe's team march on and there seems to be genuine belief that Newcastle fans could hear the Champions League music piping around St James' next autumn.
Attendance: 52,268
Referee: Stuart Attwell
