Newcastle United kept their European hopes alive as they ended the 2023-2024 Premier League season with a thrilling 4-2 victory at Brentford.
The Magpies will qualify for the Europa Conference League if Manchester City beat cross-city rivals Manchester United in Saturday's FA Cup final.
After a positive start from Brentford, the visitors took the lead on 21 minutes through Harvey Barnes' header, and their advantage was soon doubled through Jacob Murphy.
Alexander Isak slotted beyond the goalkeeper to make it 3-0 before half-time, but the hosts responded after the interval thanks to goals from Vitaly Janelt and Yoane Wissa.
Bruno Guimaraes got Newcastle's fourth in the 78th minute to ensure the Geordies claimed the three points as they end the season in seventh place, whilst Brentford finish in 16th.
The Bees thought they had made the perfect start inside two minutes but after a VAR check Ivan Toney’s effort was ruled out by referee Simon Hooper for offside.
Toney continued to search for a goal against his former club but was denied by the outstretched leg of Nick Pope.
It was Newcastle, though, who should have taken the lead before the 10-minute mark as Isak set up an unmarked Joelinton from close range, but the Brazilian failed to convert.
The visitors then broke the deadlock on 21 minutes, with Barnes darting into the six-yard box to meet a delightful delivery by Guimaraes and head the visitors ahead.
Sean Longstaff thought he had quickly doubled their advantage, only to be flagged offside, but Murphy was not denied when he latched onto Isak's exquisite pass across the penalty area to make it 2-0.
Just two minutes later, Isak grabbed his 21st goal of the season when he fired past Mark Flekken.
The Brentford stopper ensured Isak did not extend Newcastle's advantage further with a smart stop to deny the Swedish international before half-time.
The home side responded after the interval and Janelt reduced the deficit, striking home after being picked out by Wissa.
Pope clawed away Toney’s header before Wissa curled a superb effort past the goalkeeper to set up a tense finale for the visitors.
The nerves, though, were soon settled when Guimaraes followed up a free-kick to ensure the points returned to Tyneside.
Brentford's home defence breached
Brentford end the season comfortably above the bottom three, after arguably their toughest campaign yet in the Premier League, having contended with key players and the talk of a potential relegation battle at the turn of the year.
The Bees could not finish on a high - instead they looked beaten before the half-time whistle, although they scored twice in the second half to test Newcastle's resolve.
Going into the match with a recent impressive home record, including having kept a clean sheet in the past three, Newcastle's attacking capabilities were too much for the hosts to handle.
It means Thomas Frank will have to wait to earn his 100th win in charge of the club, whilst Toney ends the season having not scored in his past 12 league games. However, Mathias Jensen did become the third Brentford player to reach 100 Premier League appearances.
Toon await news of European qualification
It has been an entertaining season for Newcastle, with more than 80 goals scored and over 60 goals conceded.
And the entertainment continued here. After being relieved that Toney's early goal was chalked off for offside, the Toon established a three-goal lead at the break mainly thanks to the individual brilliance of Isak.
It was a rare win on their travels for Eddie Howe’s side, whose patchy away form has proved costly in their quest to earn a top-six finish, with St James' Park providing the majority of their points.
The Magpies will now have a close eye on next weekend's FA Cup final between Manchester rivals United and City.
Frank praises Brentford's pressing, sees no tactical revamp with Toney departure
Thomas Frank heaped praise on Brentford's pressing following their 3-1 victory over Southampton on Saturday.
Bryan Mbeumo scored twice from Brentford's forwards forcing the Southampton backline into errors as the Bees earned their second Premier League win of the season.
This did not go unnoticed by Frank, who believes his side rank as one of the best in the league when it comes to that specific aspect.
He told BBC Sport: "They made errors because we pressed them unbelievably well. I think we are one of the best teams to do the high pressure in the Premier League.
"The players are so committed and that is the reason why we capitalised on errors from Southampton.”
Despite the departure of Ivan Toney to Al-Ahli, Frank does not think their style of play will have to be restructured too much, with both Mbuemo and Yoane Wissa enjoying productive starts to the season in his absence.
Frank said: “Ivan is a fantastic player, I'd love to have him in the team but he has his own journey and is going elsewhere.
"Our style of play hasn't changed. Wissa and Ivan are different players but the style doesn't change.”
Southampton boss Russell Martin was frustrated with his side’s mistakes at crucial moments, believing their performance was far better than the scoreline suggested.
He said to the BBC: “We made two mistakes that we were punished for, which is frustrating and disappointing.
"I saw lots of good things to feel positive about. I feel a lot better this week than I did after the Nottingham Forest game.”
Guardiola has 'no words' for hat-trick hero Haaland
Pep Guardiola was lost for words to describe Erling Haaland after his eighth Premier League hat-trick fired Manchester City to a 3-1 victory over West Ham.
Having scored a treble to help City claim a 4-1 win over Ipswich Town on matchday two, Haaland did likewise on Saturday to keep them perfect as they edged out the Hammers at the London Stadium.
Haaland's seven goals this season are the most any player has ever netted in the first three matches of a Premier League campaign, while only Sergio Aguero (12), Alan Shearer (11) and Robbie Fowler (nine) have ever helped themselves to more match balls in the competition.
Across English football's top four tiers, he is also the first player to score two hat-tricks in a team's first three games of a league season since Bradford City's Paul Jewell in 1994-95.
The Norwegian has now scored more than once in 26% of his Premier League matches (18/69, eight hat-tricks, 10 braces), leaving Guardiola in disbelief.
"There are no words for him," Guardiola told BBC Sport.
"All we can do is make him play better and better and give him as many balls as possible into the box. It's what we have to do. We are there and we added quality.
"This is a team. When you have to run backward, no one asks who has to do it. Everyone has to. When we see Erling doing that, it is fantastic."
Haaland himself, meanwhile, believes having an extended pre-season due to Norway missing out on Euro 2024 has helped him start the season in peak condition.
"I feel good. I feel energised. I had a long vacation and a long pre-season. I'm feeling good," Haaland told City's website.
"The years here have gone quick and it's been going like, 'bam bam bam', now I have a little bit of rest in my body and my feet. I feel really good now and I'm ready for more.
"I feel more refreshed and more energised. So when you do that you can practice on things you want to become better at in training. I feel good. I want to become better. I'm happy."
City sit top of the early-season table with nine points from nine available and saw last season's runners-up Arsenal slip up on Saturday, drawing 1-1 with Brighton and Hove Albion.
Haaland, though, feels it is too early to think about the title race, adding: "They [City's rivals] haven't slipped up yet. Three games, nine points. This is a great start.
"But let's not think too far ahead, because there’s potentially 70 games left this season. Let's breathe a bit and take it game by game."
Lopetegui rues missed opportunity as West Ham lose to Man City
West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui was not encouraged by the performance of his team despite losing 3-1 at home to Manchester City in their third league game.
“It is true that City is one of the best teams around the world for sure… but it is also true too that in the second half we have been very close to a draw,” he said speaking to BBC Match of the Day.
“I think we have played one very good second half. The start has been very good for us too.”
West Ham threatened for extended periods of the match and had chances to level the match at 2-1 down, with the best coming from Mohammed Kudus as he smashed a shot against the bar in the second half.
They also started the game brightly before going a goal down inside 10 minutes.
“In my mind we started very well, being aggressive,” said Lopetegui.
“We know in this plan normally they have initiative, it’s very difficult to not concede initiative then. That’s why you have to do a lot of very good things to overcome them.
“In the second half we had chances, I think we kept the ball much more, much more, and didn't concede a lot of chances."
But the hosts were ultimately undone by the brilliant finishing of Erling Haaland, who scored his second hat-trick in as many matches.
“He is one of the best players in the world, that's why he plays for Manchester City,” he said.
“You have to compete with these kind of players. City has the power and the quality to create chances.”
But ultimately, he was left frustrated at the sense of a missed opportunity and that his team were unable to earn themselves a draw that hadn’t seemed implausible during the match.
“Today I think the first goal was a pity for us but I’ve said it. I was happy with the performance think we were able to draw but again they damage us,” he said.
“Against this kind of team, if you make a mistake they don’t forgive. This is the difference they have… A little mistake they punish you, they punish us.
“We have to improve, to know to compete against this kind of team to be close to perfection.
“Don't make mistakes, be calm, defend well… we have quality players too.”
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