Newcastle United 2 Brentford 1 | OneFootball

Alexander Isak's 20th league goal of the campaign opened the scoring, with the Swedish star netting with virtually the last kick of the first half, but Bryan Mbeumo levelled with a second-half spot-kick.

However, Sandro Tonali set St. James' Park alight with a howitzer - his third strike against Brentford this season. Whether this one was intentional or not, only the Italian knows, but it proved to be decisive as they maintained their push for a Champions League place.

That prospect seemed extremely remote back in December, when Brentford beat the Magpies 4-2 at the Gtech Community Stadium to leave Eddie Howe's men in 12th place, but they climbed up to fifth after following up their first domestic trophy in 70 years with three more points.

Unchanged from the Wembley win, Newcastle almost went ahead inside the opening two minutes as Tino Livramento stood up a cross from the left but Isak - under pressure from Keane Lewis-Potter - headed wide.

Livramento was involved again in the 11th minute as he teed up Joelinton to flash a shot across goal, then midway through the first half Jacob Murphy robbed Ethan Pinnock and slid in Isak, but Newcastle's leading goalscorer was off target.

Two minutes later, Murphy dragged a low shot wide from 25 yards, then Barnes came close with a fierce strike after neat build-up from Joelinton and Bruno Guimarães.

Brentford could only muster an effort from range from Mbeumo which went well wide, while Fabian Schär was next to try his luck for the Magpies but his shot hit Isak and deflected wide.

In the 45th minute, United had the ball in the net as Isak jinked into the box and, rather then shooting, opted to centre for Barnes, but the former Leicester City man was marginally offside as he headed past Mark Flekken.

But Newcastle were ahead moments later when Murphy crossed expertly from the right and Isak steered home at the Gallowgate End.

At the beginning of the second half, Barnes drilled wide - then just after the hour mark he saw an effort fielded by Flekken after Murphy had dispossessed Lewis-Potter and managed to find his team-mate after initially seeing a shot blocked.

Brentford levelled when Nick Pope brought down Yoane Wissa, allowing Mbeumo to convert from the penalty spot. It was their first shot on target.

And they almost went in front in the 68th minute when Pinnock's towering header came back off the woodwork and into the grateful hands of Pope.

But the Magpies regained the lead through Tonali, who beat Flekken from an acute angle on the right flank. It may well have been a cross, but the midfield maestro had barely misplaced a pass all night so it was quite conceivable that he meant to catch out the goalkeeper in truly audacious fashion.

Either way, despite Callum Wilson seeing a shot deflected wide in the 86th minute, Barnes being denied by a block and Joe Willock testing Flekken in eight minutes of stoppage time, it was enough to win the game for the Magpies - although Mikkel Damsgaard, Schade and Christian Nørgaard all had opportunities to level late on.