Brentford 1-2 Newcastle: Alexander Isak scores winner to complete ...

Newcastle produced a clinical second-half performance to come from behind to beat Brentford 2-1 at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Thomas Frank's team could have been three up at the break following a fast start, yet they only led 1-0 at half-time - thanks to Ivan Toney's second penalty of the day - after the striker first saw a goal ruled out for offside by VAR and then missed from the spot for the first time since 2018.

Newcastle rallied after the restart and turned the game with two goals in six minutes, courtesy of Alexander Isak and David Raya's unfortunate own goal.

As a result of their fifth straight Premier League win, the Magpies went back third, level on points with Manchester United, though with a vastly-superior goal difference. Brentford, meanwhile, have won just one of their last five league games, which will not help their outside chances of European qualification.

How Brentford were undone by clinical Toon

Brentford had been beaten 1-0 by Manchester United on Wednesday and never really got going during what was a largely defence-first display at Old Trafford. It was clear from the first whistle they wanted to put that right on home soil.

The Bees sprung out of the traps, won their first corner within two minutes and thought they had the lead inside 10, when Toney touched in from close-range after Nick Pope had clawed Jansson's header off the line. VAR, however, intervened and the 'goal' was ruled out, with Toney having strayed offside in the build-up.

Newcastle succeeding in pinning them back for a period, until Kevin Schade showed his electric pace to burst into the area, where he was wiped out by Sven Botman. Referee Chris Kavanagh pointed to the spot, but for the first time in his Brentford career, Toney was denied by Pope, who smothered an uncharacteristically tame delivery.

VAR was called into action for a second time before the break, with Kavanagh heading to the pitchside monitor after Rico Henry was caught in the face by Isak's high boot. There appeared to be an element of hesitation in Toney's decision as to whether he should take it, but he did - and this time, he made no mistake.

Howe introduced Anthony Gordon and Callum Wilson at the break and there was almost immediately more intensity from Newcastle going forward. With 54 minutes on the clock, they levelled when Joelinton was allowed time to dance into the box to pick his spot and hit a shot that struck Raya and nestled into the net.

Just after the hour, the comeback was complete as Wilson squared for Isak, who took advantage of the little pressure placed upon him to curl a sumptuous effort past Raya - and it could have been three within moments, had VAR not spotted Wilson's handball as he brought down a corner and fired home.

That decision appeared to spur Brentford on to try and force an equaliser at the least and they came relatively close when Pope kept out a close-range Toney header, but they had little else to show as they fell to a second straight defeat.

Player of the match - Alexander Isak

Frank: Brentford 100 per cent deserved more

Brentford head coach Thomas Frank:

"I think our performance was fantastic. The first half, wow. We could have been 3-0 up from normally Mr 100 per cent [Toney] and a marginal offside for the first goal, so what a performance there, in many, many ways.

"Unfortunately it turned around in the second half with two moments from Newcastle, but even with that, we came back and put pressure on. The players were fighting, running and giving everything, so huge credit to them for that. It was definitely the margins that didn't go our way in this game, I must say that. We 100 per cent deserved something from this game.

"I think we started the second half fairly OK. They changed a few players, but I don't think it was because of that; for me, it was two moments. The second was quality from Isak, their sixty. Three. Million. Pound. Player.

"I know when I cool down tomorrow and see that the sun does actually rise again, then I'll be proud of the performance and all the bits we have achieved. When you're that close, you want that little bit more, but that's football."

Howe: We were harshly treated by VAR, but response was great

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe:

"It was a really tough game, as we knew it would be. We didn't start particularly well, the first half wasn't pretty from our viewpoint. Brentford put us under pressure. I felt we were harshly treated with a couple of VAR decisions, but it was a great response from the group in the second half.

"The second penalty, I'm not 100 per cent sure that is a clear and obvious error and the handball I think is really harsh on Callum because his hands are down by his side and he's got no reaction time. I'm not sure on the laws of the game with handball now, but I thought they were two tough calls.

"We changed things tactically, first and foremost [at half-time] and I think sometimes that can just give you a different dynamic. I think it did and the group responded really well. We gave them a few pointers as to things we felt we needed to change and do better, but what a character shining through the team.

"Three games in six days is a huge physical effort and we were able to go again, lift ourselves and I thought we played really well in the second half."

Toon prove to be Brentford's bogey team again - Opta stats

Having won three of their first four league games against Newcastle (L1), Brentford have since gone winless in eight against the Magpies, losing seven of them (D1).

Brentford have failed to win a Premier League game in which they opened the scoring for the first time (P26 W19 D6 L1), while Newcastle have lost just one of their last five Premier League away games in which they have conceded first (W2 D2), winning the last two.

Newcastle have now won exactly 100 Premier League points under Eddie Howe (P56 W28 D16 L12). Only Kevin Keegan in October 1994 (51 games) has needed fewer games to reach 100 points with the Magpies in the competition.

Seven of Alexander Isak's eight Premier League goals this season have either drawn Newcastle level (2) or given them the lead (5), with his strike today against Brentford putting the Magpies 2-1 ahead.

Newcastle's grit worthy of a significant reward

Sky Sports' Dan Long:

The business end of the season is very much upon us now and, contrary to what might have been expected at the start of the season, Newcastle are in the driving seat for Champions League qualification.

Since the Premier League returned after the World Cup break in November, Howe's team had not delivered the same flamboyant results that had, at one point before it, catapulted them into title contention, yet they had stayed very much part of the conversation thanks to a newfound defensive steeliness.

Now those hard yards have been done, they are exactly where they want to be after five straight league wins. In this vein of form, to drop out of the top-four race altogether seems incredibly unlikely.

It is easy to admire those five wins as though Newcastle have breezed their way here of late; Wednesday's thrashing away at West Ham was certainly more straightforward than the bulk of top-flight games are. But they were made to work in west London.

Had it not been for an offside call and the first penalty Ivan Toney had missed in five years, they could have been put to the sword before the break. Of course, they were not punished by either of those incidents, but the warning signs were there - and they will learn from them.

They started the second half with an urgency. The bit was between their teeth from the word go and it appeared to be a potentially risky tactic, given the way Brentford had attacked in the first. Yet the Bees themselves sat off twice and were punished twice as a result; only VAR prevented it from being three.

The Toon are approaching the conclusion of what has been a monumental season in club history and, on this showing, their toils are surely worthy of a spot in European competition next year.

What's next?

Brentford visit Wolves in their next Premier League fixture on Saturday April 15. Kick-off 3pm.

Newcastle's push for the top four continues at Aston Villa next Saturday, Kick-off 12.30pm.

Brentford's remaining fixtures

April 15: Wolves (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm

April 22: Aston Villa (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm

April 26: Chelsea (A) - Premier League, kick-off 7.45pm

April 29: Nottingham Forest (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm

May 6: Liverpool (A) - Premier League, kick-off 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports

May 13: West Ham (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm

May 20: Tottenham (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm

May 28: Man City (H) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm

Newcastle's remaining fixtures

April 15: Aston Villa (A) - Premier League, kick-off 12.30pm

April 23: Tottenham (H) - Premier League, kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports

April 27: Everton (A) - Premier League, kick-off 7.45pm

April 30: Southampton (H) - Premier League, kick-off 2pm

May 7: Arsenal (H) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports

May 13: Leeds (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm

May 20: Leicester (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm

May 28: Chelsea (A) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm