It’s Swede & sour
ISAK SEALS VICTORY AFTER PUTTING TOON ON THE SPOT
ALEXANDER ISAK’S rollercoaster afternoon ended on a high with the red-hot Newcastle hitman on target yet again for Eddie Howe’s high-fliers.
After conceding the penalty that Ivan Toney did convert to put Brentford ahead, the Swedish star later secured the visitors’ fifth win on the spin with a sensational 61st-minute finish.
That made it eight goals for £63million Isak and, allied to David Raya’s earlier own goal, completed a brilliant fight-back by fatigued Newcastle.
And with third place regained from Manchester United, whose lunchtime win over Everton had put them there briefly, a mostly topless Toon Army headed back north ecstatic.
St James Park chief Howe was equally delighted, hailing his side’s lung-busting heroics in a third outing in six days.
The Toon boss (right) said: “You need all types of ways to win and this is a huge moment in our season.
“Our challenge at half-time was could we deliver a huge second half?
“We did that with incredible characters, digging really deep. My players deserve all the credit.” As for Brentford, a brilliant second campaign among the elite is fading.
Thomas Frank’s troops have taken two points from the last 15 available.
It might have been different had Toney – the best penalty taker on the planet, according to his boss – not missed his first spot-kick in 25 on the half-hour.
Frank, whose Bees stay ninth on 43 points, said: “I guess it’s the law of averages he’d miss one day but, with that and a marginal offside goal, we could have been three up.
“The first 45 minutes was probably our best in the Premier League.”
With this such a vital clash for the hosts’ European ambitions, they began at lightning pace.
Toney had a 10th-minute effort disallowed by VAR for offside. Then skipper Pontus Jansson went close before hobbling off with a recurrence of a hamstring injury. But the Bees were deservedly ahead by the interval despite Toney fluffing his lines from 12 yards first time around as Nick Pope saved to his left. Referee Chris Kavanagh had no hesitation awarding that 29th-minute penalty – for Sven Botman clattering Kevin Schade. But he needed Stockley Park’s intervention to give the second when Isak put a high boot into Rico Henry. Toney made no mistake on this occasion. The England striker went the same way – so did Pope – but with better purchase and accuracy. The Geordies’ responded superbly and were level in the 54th minute when Brazilian Joelinton’s cross was deflected in by Brentford keeper Raya. If disappointed there, Raya had no chance with Isak’s winner seven minutes later when he drilled in a beauty from the edge of the area.