Fast start sets Newcastle on way to victory over battling Burnley

Early goals from Joelinton and Yoane Wissa set Newcastle on their way to only their second away win of the Premier League season as they held off battling Burnley 3-1 at Turf Moor.

Joelinton’s first Premier League goal in 365 days put the Magpies ahead just 65 seconds in and six minutes later Wissa marked his first league start for the Magpies with his first league goal for them.

Josh Laurent dragged relegation-battling Burnley back into it in the 23rd minute, but despite a string of second-half chances they could not find an equaliser before Bruno Guimaraes settled it in stoppage time, leaving Burnley winless in 10 games and six points adrift of safety.

For Newcastle, it was a first win on the road since they beat Everton 4-1 on November 29, but it was not entirely convincing as Burnley dominated the second half before a gift of a third goal late on.

Burnley had been forced into a more enterprising display by a terrible start. Anthony Gordon wriggled free down the left and sent in a low cross and Joelinton too easily stepped in front of Hjalmar Ekdal to hook home.

The second goal was scrappy. Gordon’s pass forward was picked off, but Joelinton nicked the ball from Maxime Esteve. Harvey Barnes’ shot was blocked, but Wissa prodded in at the second attempt as Burnley argued in vain that Guimaraes had unfairly pushed Laurent out of the way.

Burnley’s troubles grew as Esteve, back from a two-game absence, limped off injured with 13 minutes gone.

Given the Clarets’ woes in front of goal this season it already felt like game over, but Newcastle have had a terrible habit of dropping points from winning positions and are without a clean sheet since November 5. They soon opened the door for the hosts.

Lucas Pires’ shot was blocked, but he sent in a looped cross which Armando Broja flicked on for Laurent to fire beyond Nick Pope, who was back from injury against his former club.

Newcastle should have quickly restored their two-goal cushion, but Wissa inexplicably headed wide when unmarked at the back post. A poor header from Ekdal let the Congolese forward in again, but he fired wide from a tight angle.

Next it was Barnes, sent through by Guimaraes, but Martin Dubravka made the save to deny his former club.

The half ended with Marcus Edwards seeing Fabian Schar hack his shot off the line and it set the tone for a second half in which Burnley poured forward.

A swift attack ended with Loum Tchaouna shooting straight at Pope. From the next break the goalkeeper kicked clear Edwards’ shot.

Pope then back-pedalled to claw Lucas Pires’ cross-shot off the line but was already beaten when Laurent’s looping header came back off the crossbar. Tchaouna wasted the next chance when he headed wide at the back post.

Newcastle had barely been seen going the other way, but from a 77th-minute corner Malick Thiaw saw his header cleared off the line by Bashir Humphreys. Seconds later, substitute Jacob Murphy blazed over with the goal gaping.

When the third goal came it was a gift. Ekdal and Dubravka got in a mix-up and Guimaraes finished from 25 yards.