Newcastle took full advantage of their Premier League game in hand, ripping apart the Eagles in a devastating passage of play at St. James' Park on Wednesday evening.

With pneumonia victim Eddie Howe still recuperating elsewhere, Jason Tindall and Graeme Jones took charge of the first team for the second time in four days, retaining the same starting line-up that had won five successive league and cup games.

By half time a four goal salvo was en route to extending that run to six; one further goal after the interval making it a round dozen goals scored in just three outings. 

Jacob Murphy and Harvey Barnes did the damage, flying down both wings during an amazing first half when the hosts missed a trio of presentable chances in addition to the four they bagged.

Murphy set his side on their way after 14 minutes with a fabulous pile driver finish from the right wing reminiscent of Sandro Tonali's Brentford blaster at the other end of the park. There may have been a doubt over whether Italian had meant to shoot, but Jacob's effort was certainly intentional.

Further goals looked set to follow for a free-flowing Magpies side, but the pivotal moment of the first half came at the end that the Eagles were attacking. 

A free kick from a central position midway in the United half was played by Eberechi Eze towards the edge of the box, dropping towards Chris Richards, only for Nick Pope to appear, fisting the ball clear with his right arm and simultaneously barging into the visiting player with his left shoulder.

That ill-timed intervention was belatedly penalised by a penalty kick following a prolonged pitchside VAR check by referee Darren England, United then indulging in various delaying tactics, notably some extended pushing and shoving on the edge of the area involving Fabian Schar and Tonali. Kieran Trippier's gesturing meanwhile spurred the Leazes crowd into cat-calling and waving.

Pope duly denied Eze, although the custodian's atonement was aided by one of the worst spot-kicks in living memory, the visiting player's run-up more statuesque than stuttering and his shot barely making it the 12 yards to the goal. 

Rather than 1-1, within seconds it was 2-0 as Harvey Barnes broke down the left and his intended cross towards Alexander Isak deflected off Marc Guehi's arm and past Dean Henderson. The Palace defender who was strongly linked with a move to Tyneside had also registered an own goal during Newcastle's visit to Selhurst in November - a slightly more subtle ploy than a transfer request...   

That passage of play prompted memories of a 5-1 home victory over Carlisle United in Easter 1984; home 'keeper Kevin Carr saving Alan Shoulder's penalty at the Leazes End before the Magpies broke straight upfield and Kevin Keegan nodded home a deflected goal.

Having lost out on extending his recent scoring streak, Barnes then found the net during first half added time -  a well-taken effort ending a sweeping move from one end of the pitch to the other after Tonali had played him through.

Yet more misery awaited Oliver Glasner and those home fans who sloped off for a premature pint, with a second Newcastle goal in added time: Murphy supplying an accurate cross after a free kick was played to him for Fabian Schar to deftly net with a flicked header into the corner of the net.

The Magpies started the second half in similar fashion and a fifth goal arrived on 58 minutes when further energetic pressing saw Joelinton win the ball off Maxence Lacroix and set up Isak to curl his shot home from the edge of the box - a fine finish from what was his hardest chance of the night.

That ended a run of 12 goals scored by Newcastle since the Swede had last registered against Brentford, on a night where he could easily have had another hat-trick.

From then on, the black and whites cruised to victory and kept a clean sheet despite slackening off their pressure on the Palace goal after making the full allowable number of replacements; the artist formerly known as Callum Wilson again preferred to William Osula. 

Victory saw Newcastle go third in the table, four points behind Arsenal and five ahead of sixth placed Chelsea. Their +21 goal difference is also superior to the sides occupying fourth, fifth and sixth. 

Those numbers reinforce the momentum we currently possess; a team in prime form posting legendary performances across the field. Be it Trippier rolling back the years in his 200th PL game, Barnes and Murphy continuing the best form of their Magpies career or Tonali prompting earnest discussions as to whether he is our best midfielder in living memory, these are rare times.

At the risk of being labelled kill-joys, Saturday's visit to Villa comes into the category of don't lose rather than must win, but at this point in time we genuinely fear no foe. What a time to be alive.  

Niall/Biffa