Newcastle tightened their grip on a place in the top half with a 2–1 victory over Burnley, a result that deepened the visitors’ relegation fears and stretched their losing streak to six league matches. First-half goals from Bruno Guimarães and Anthony Gordon proved enough on an afternoon shaped by Burnley’s indiscipline, with Lucas Pires’ reckless red card leaving Scott Parker’s struggling side to chase the game with a numerical disadvantage.
Burnley actually began brightly, peppering the Newcastle box with a barrage of early corners and crowding Aaron Ramsdale on every delivery. But their momentum was undone when Guimarães produced a moment of outrageous ingenuity. Spotting Martin Dúbravka marginally off his line, he curled a corner directly over the former Newcastle goalkeeper and into the far side of the net — a piece of quick thinking that transformed the mood inside St James’ Park.
From that moment, Newcastle seized control. Gordon, whose energy and sharpness troubled Burnley throughout, pierced the visiting defence with a threaded pass that sent Anthony Elanga racing through on goal. Pires’ panicked lunge halted Elanga but left the referee little choice: a straight red, and Burnley were reduced to ten.
The visitors’ afternoon unraveled further minutes later when Lesley Ugochukwu inexplicably used both hands to bat away a driven cross from Gordon. VAR intervened, directing the referee to the screen, and the penalty was duly awarded. Gordon, composed and clinical, extended Newcastle’s lead and left Burnley floundering.
Newcastle cruised for much of the second half, with Yoanne Wissa coming off the bench to make his debut but unable to spark any real Burnley revival. It took another VAR-awarded penalty — this time for a Malick Thiaw handball in stoppage time — to offer the Clarets a lifeline. Zian Flemming converted confidently, and Burnley came agonisingly close to snatching an improbable equaliser when a late cross ricocheted dangerously across the six-yard box. But Newcastle held firm.
Eddie Howe acknowledged afterward that this was far from his side’s slickest performance, yet the victory marked ten points from the last twelve available — a steady resurgence after a rocky spell. Burnley, meanwhile, remain entrenched in 19th place, four points adrift of safety and still searching for a spark to break a brutal run of results.
For Newcastle, this was a functional win built on decisive moments. For Burnley, it was another painful chapter in a season drifting perilously toward the drop.
