Three of the best as Gayle gives Newcastle a title lift

GARY ROWETT admitted he would be ‘astonished’ if Newcastle do not make an immediate return to the Premier League.

Rafael Benitez’s Newcastle returned to the top of the Championship by crushing Rowett’s Birmingham side, with Dwight Gayle scoring a second hat-trick since his £10million switch from Crystal Palace.

Yoan Gouffran was also among the goals to help Newcastle move back above Brighton by a point.

Birmingham manager Rowett said: ‘Newcastle are very clinical and hurt you in different ways.

‘You can’t let them have space and, if you do, they will punish you.

‘We tried to deny them space in our half early on, and at times their movement was so good, their penetrating runs were excellent. It was a bit of a football lesson, it was also an athletic lesson.

‘Make no bones about it, that is a Premier League team out there we were up against in the unbelievable stadium they have.

‘I will be astonished if they are not a Premier League team next season.’

Gayle took his tally to 16 goals in 15 matches for Newcastle, who ended a three-match run without a win which had seen Brighton climb above them by beating Leeds on Friday night.

Delighted Benitez said: ‘If the team is playing well, Dwight will score goals. He is a great finisher and I knew he could score goals. Hopefully he can score in every game.’