Miguel Almirón’s winner against Palace puts safety in sight for Newcastle

Newcastle United’s startling metamorphosis under Eddie Howe continued as Miguel Almirón’s exquisite first half goal not only elevated them to the security of 40 points but secured a sixth successive home victory.

That run equals a record set in 2004 here, back in the days when Tyneside’s were “walking in a Robson wonderland” during Sir Bobby Robson’s tenure. Eighteen years on Eddie Howe’s side remain a work in progress but, bolstered by Bruno Guimarães’s midfield excellence, are almost unrecognisable from the team Steve Bruce failed to coax a single win out of before being replaced by Howe in November.

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Newcastle’s cause was helped by meeting Crystal Palace on an evening when Patrick Vieira’s players were well below their best and performed as if they had not quite managed to shake last Sunday’s disappointment at Wembley from their systems.

It is probably an understatement to say that Allan Saint-Maximin and Vieira did not always exactly see eye to eye when they were player and manager at Nice. While Vieira appreciated the winger’s natural talent he deplored his perceived lack of work ethic and, right from kick off, it appeared that this was one match Saint-Maximin particularly wanted to impress in.

The two Frenchmen had no overt first half contact but, given that Saint-Maximin was deployed down Newcastle’s left, close to the technical areas, during that opening half there were plenty of moments when he shot surreptitious little glances at Palace’s manager.

Evidently anxious to prove a point, Saint-Maximin was fairly heavily involved but, perhaps trying almost too hard, saw repeated dribbling manoeuvres fall apart at the