The brilliant Newcastle United player who sparked Brentford comeback – after harsh Eddie Howe call

Callum Wilson, left out of the starting XI after scoring twice against West Ham United in midweek, came off the bench with Anthony Gordon to spark a comeback a dismal 45 minutes at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Joelinton and Alexander Isak were on target for Eddie Howe’s third-placed side in a fifth successive win.

Wilson set up Isak for his second goal, and the way the pair combined will have given Howe something to think about ahead of next weekend’s game against Aston Villa.

Joe Willock had also replaced Allan Saint-Maximin in the starting XI after the winger suffered what was described as a “minor” hamstring strain.

Newcastle, backed by 1,730 fans in one corner of the ground, had Kieran Trippier to thank for an important early clearance after Josh Dasilva delivered an early ball across the face of goal.

Penalty drama

The home side thought they had taken the lead when former United striker Ivan Toney shot into the roof of the net after Nick Pope stopped a header from Pontus Jansson. However, the strike was disallowed for offside following a VAR check, and Jansson, Brentford’s captain, left the pitch injured minutes later.

There was another scare for Newcastle later in the half.

Kevin Schade took advantage of a slip from Fabian Schar and burst into the box, and his run was ended by a crude challenge from Sven Botman.

Referee Chris Kavanagh pointed to the spot, and former Newcastle striker Ivan Toney – who had had a 100% conversion rate in the top flight going into the game – stepped up.

Toney’s weak penalty was easily stopped by Pope. Unfortunately for United’s goalkeeper, he would be facing Toney again from the spot before the end of the half.

Kavanagh pointed to the spot again after analysing a Isak challenge on Rico Henry via a pitchside VAR monitor – and Toney second at the second attempt.

Brentford, better with and without the ball, had deserved their half-time lead, and Howe – who had spoken before the game about making early changes – responded to the first 45 minutes by making two changes.

Half-time changes

Wilson and Gordon replaced Sean Longstaff and Jacob Murphy, and an improved Newcastle, moving the ball with more purpose, had a good spell of pressure early in the half.

United’s pressure quickly told. Trippier gave the ball to Joelinton on the right side of the home box, and the midfielder drove into the area and struck a shot which went in off the led of David Raya in the 54th minute.

Seven minutes later, Newcastle were ahead after Wilson and Isak combined. Wilson, on the right, rolled the ball to Isak, who beat Raya with a lovely finish from the edge of the box.

The drama wasn’t over. Wilson had a goal from a corner ruled out for a handball midway through the half, and Gordon reacted angrily to his added-time withdrawal.

Thankfully, Isak’s eighth goal of the season was enough to claim all three points.

NEWCASTLE UNITED: Pope; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Guimaraes, Longstaff (Gordon, 46, Ritchie, 90), Willock (Anderson, 88); Murphy (Wilson, 46), Isak (Lascelles, 88), Joelinton. Subs not used: Dubravka, Dummett, Targett, Manquillo.