Newcastle United's Bruno Guimaraes shows his respect for Eddie Howe on takeover anniversary

The club, 19th in the division when it was taken over, is now competing at the other end of the Premier League table.

And a convincing 5-1 win for Eddie Howe’s side over Brentford this afternoon saw the club move up to fifth place. Bruno Guimaraes – who showed his respect for Howe after coming off – netted twice, and Miguel Almiron and Jacob Murphy also found the net along with a visiting defender.

The club has come a long way over the past 12 months.

It hadn't won a game at the time of the takeover. Also, the team didn’t have any kind of identity. That accusation can't be levelled at the fiercely-competitive side Howe has shaped over the past 11 months.

United play attacking, front foot football – and press high up the pitch.

Howe had opted to name fit-again Allan Saint-Maximin on his bench along with Joelinton.

The game kicked off after a Wor Flags display, complete with yellow ticker, marking the first anniversary of last year’s takeover.

Almiron – who had scored two goals at Craven Cottage – tested David Raya with an an early curling effort after cutting in from the right on to his favoured left foot.

Brentford, however, soon had the ball in the back of the net. Bryan Mbeumo scored after a quick break forward, but former United striker Ivan Toney was offside in the build-up to the goal.

Newcastle had been the better team up to that point, and they redoubled their efforts after the decision from referee John Brooks.

A breakthrough at the other end of the pitch wasn’t long in coming. Almiron played a corner back to Kieran Trippier, who delivered a deep ball for Guimaraes at the far post. The midfielder’s downward header bounced and struck the inside of the right-hand post on its way past David Raya.

Raya then gifted United possession in the 28th minute, and Callum Wilson was able to square the ball for Jacob Murphy, who tapped it home to make it 2-0.

Newcastle took their two-goal advantage into the break, but the lead didn’t last long after the restart. Brentford started the half well, and Ivan Toney forced a save from Pope. Burn, under pressure, then handled in the box, and Toney scored the resulting penalty.

The goal jolted United back into action, and Guimaraes took the ball on the left two minutes later and strode, unchallenged, to the edge of the visiting box before squeezing the ball between Raya and the left-hand post.

Howe sent on Joelinton – the midfielder replaced Murphy – and Saint-Maximin came on for Guimaraes for the last 12 minutes.

Guimaraes, given a standing ovation as he walked down the touchline, insisted on shaking the hand of Howe – who was focused on the game and looking the other way – before taking a seat in the dugout.

Almiron netted a fourth after intercepting a backpass aimed at Raya.

Ethan Pinnock turned a Joelinton cross into his own net in added time.

NEWCASTLE UNITED: Pope, Trippier (Targett, 84), Schar, Botman, Burn, Longstaff, Willock, Guimaraes (Saint-Maximin 78), Almiron (Anderson, 84), Wilson (Wood, 84), Murphy (Joelinton, 66).