Match ends, Newcastle United 1, Burnley 0.
Eddie Howe is convinced his Newcastle side can avoid relegation from the Premier League after claiming their first victory of the season at home to Burnley on Saturday.
Callum Wilson scored the only goal at St James' Park, steering the ball into the roof of the net from the edge of the area after Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope fumbled Joe Willock's cross under pressure from Fabian Schar.
The win lifts the Magpies, who also earned their first clean sheet of the campaign, up to 19th in the table, level on 10 points with bottom club Norwich and 18th-placed Burnley.
"For sure we can stay up," said Howe. "We've come from a difficult position and there is a long road ahead, but I believe in what we are doing.
"We have tried to bring our philosophy to the team, to be front-foot and more aggressive. Confidence is key in any sport and we have lacked that, but today goes a long way to rebuilding that."
Newcastle's victory over Burnley will be followed by a daunting run of fixtures this month, with games against Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United all to come before the turn of the year.
"Historically we have said you need to take points off the top teams and that will be the task in December," added Howe, who admitted prior to Tuesday's draw with Norwich that the Magpies may struggle to attract players in January if they remain cut adrift near the bottom of the table.
"[The transfer window] will be important, but the players we have here we like and we need to maximise them first," Howe said.
"The market changes so much and quickly. People are planning for that, but my sole focus is coaching the team. I love working with this group. They are hungry and want to achieve."
Burnley started brightly and created the better openings before Wilson struck, Maxwel Cornet twice going close and Johann Berg Gudmundsson striking the outside of the post via a deflection off Javier Manquillo.
Matej Vydra also missed a superb opportunity to equalise on the stroke of half-time, shooting tamely over the crossbar from Matt Lowton's right-wing delivery.
Miguel Almiron was played through by Wilson in the second half but was denied a first goal in 26 league games by Pope.
The visitors thought they had equalised with seven minutes remaining but Jay Rodriguez was ruled to be in an offside position from Ashley Westwood's pass.
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First of many for Newcastle?
It was far from pretty, but Howe will hope Saturday's nervy victory can kick-start Newcastle's campaign - nearly eight weeks after their £305m Saudi Arabia-backed takeover.
The Magpies had failed to beat four of the eight teams directly above them in the Premier League before the visit of Sean Dyche's side, and they were perhaps fortunate not to fall behind early on as Burnley made the brighter start.
But Newcastle improved following Wilson's opener - Joelinton and Jonjo Shelvey had efforts blocked before Willock blazed over the crossbar from Allan Saint-Maximin's cut-back.
A second goal would have eased some of the palpable tension around St James' Park, but Almiron was denied by a magnificent one-handed Pope save before shooting straight at Nathan Collins after cutting on to his left foot on the edge of the area.
Rodriguez beat Martin Dubravka late on with a confident finish but was denied a 100th career league goal by the assistant referee's flag.
Howe, who punched the air in delight at full-time, will be thrilled with Newcastle's resolute defensive showing, although - the opening 20 minutes aside - they were rarely troubled by a toothless Burnley.
The visitors registered 10 attempts at goal but their only legitimate shot on target came through Cornet in the first half.
Dyche's team are without an away win in the Premier League since beating Fulham back in May.
Player of the match
WilsonCallum Wilson
Newcastle United
Avg
- Squad number9Player nameWilsonAverage rating
7.48
- Squad number10Player nameSaint-MaximinAverage rating
7.03
- Squad number7Player nameJoelintonAverage rating
6.86
- Squad number18Player nameFernándezAverage rating
6.86
- Squad number23Player nameMurphyAverage rating
6.43
- Squad number1Player nameDúbravkaAverage rating
6.42
- Squad number24Player nameAlmirónAverage rating
6.39
- Squad number12Player nameLewisAverage rating
6.38
- Squad number5Player nameSchärAverage rating
6.19
- Squad number19Player nameManquilloAverage rating
6.16
- Squad number28Player nameWillockAverage rating
6.15
- Squad number8Player nameShelveyAverage rating
6.11
- Squad number6Player nameLascellesAverage rating
5.69
Burnley
Avg
- Squad number20Player nameCornetAverage rating
5.77
- Squad number3Player nameTaylorAverage rating
5.63
- Squad number7Player nameGudmundssonAverage rating
5.59
- Squad number22Player nameCollinsAverage rating
5.55
- Squad number2Player nameLowtonAverage rating
5.48
- Squad number18Player nameWestwoodAverage rating
5.48
- Squad number1Player namePopeAverage rating
5.47
- Squad number11Player nameMcNeilAverage rating
5.41
- Squad number8Player nameBrownhillAverage rating
5.40
- Squad number5Player nameTarkowskiAverage rating
5.39
- Squad number9Player nameWoodAverage rating
5.37
- Squad number27Player nameVydraAverage rating
5.15
- Squad number14Player nameRobertsAverage rating
4.81
- Squad number19Player nameRodriguezAverage rating
4.18
Line-ups
Newcastle
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Dúbravka
- 19ManquilloBooked at 87mins
- 5Schär
- 6Lascelles
- 12Lewis
- 24AlmirónSubstituted forFernándezat 85'minutes
- 8Shelvey
- 28Willock
- 10Saint-MaximinSubstituted forMurphyat 90+1'minutes
- 9Wilson
- 7Joelinton
Substitutes
- 11Ritchie
- 14Hayden
- 16Hendrick
- 17Krafth
- 18Fernández
- 23Murphy
- 26Darlow
- 34Gayle
- 36S Longstaff
Burnley
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Pope
- 2LowtonSubstituted forRobertsat 75'minutes
- 22CollinsBooked at 75mins
- 5Tarkowski
- 3Taylor
- 7GudmundssonSubstituted forRodriguezat 80'minutes
- 18Westwood
- 8Brownhill
- 11McNeil
- 9Wood
- 20CornetSubstituted forVydraat 32'minutes
Substitutes
- 4Cork
- 13Hennessey
- 14Roberts
- 17Lennon
- 19Rodriguez
- 23Pieters
- 27Vydra
- 28Long
- 37Thomas
- Referee:
- Paul Tierney
- Attendance:
- 51,948
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home48%
- Away52%
- Shots
- Home19
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away1
- Corners
- Home10
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Newcastle United 1, Burnley 0.
Post update
Attempt missed. Jacob Murphy (Newcastle United) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the right.
Post update
Attempt missed. Dwight McNeil (Burnley) left footed shot from the left side of the box is too high. Assisted by Matej Vydra.
Substitution
Substitution, Newcastle United. Jacob Murphy replaces Allan Saint-Maximin.
Booking
Javier Manquillo (Newcastle United) is shown the yellow card.
Substitution
Substitution, Newcastle United. Federico Fernández replaces Miguel Almirón.
Post update
Offside, Burnley. Ashley Westwood tries a through ball, but Jay Rodriguez is caught offside.
Post update
Attempt missed. James Tarkowski (Burnley) header from the left side of the six yard box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Ashley Westwood with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Burnley. Conceded by Javier Manquillo.
Substitution
Substitution, Burnley. Jay Rodriguez replaces Jóhann Gudmundsson.
Post update
Corner, Newcastle United. Conceded by Nick Pope.
Post update
Attempt saved. Jonjo Shelvey (Newcastle United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Post update
Corner, Newcastle United. Conceded by Connor Roberts.
Post update
Corner, Newcastle United. Conceded by Nathan Collins.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Miguel Almirón (Newcastle United) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Joelinton.
Post update
Corner, Newcastle United. Conceded by James Tarkowski.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Allan Saint-Maximin (Newcastle United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Post update
Corner, Newcastle United. Conceded by Connor Roberts.
Booking
Nathan Collins (Burnley) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Comments
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Well done all football fans for showing such respect to the boy Arthur Labinjo-Hughes who was monstrously murdered. God love him he was a true blue Birmingham supporter. RIP little man.
Wilson and Maxi made things happen and it was good to see Almiron back in the side, but we do need to find a better balance rather than relying so heavily on individuals to get by.
I see progress already, had it been Brucey in charge they would have drawn the game.
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