Crystal Palace 1-0 Newcastle United: Patrick van Aanholt stunner earns first win of 2020
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Patrick van Aanholt has scored more Premier League goals than any other Crystal Palace defender in the competition's history, overtaking Scott Dann (12)
Crystal Palace secured their first win of 2020 thanks to Patrick van Aanholt's superb first-half free-kick which saw off visitors Newcastle.
The victory also ended a run of three league defeats for Roy Hodgson's side who benefitted from yet another ragged display by the visitors.
The Magpies' regular saviour Martin Dubravka had made two superb stops from Gary Cahill and Scott Dann before Van Aanholt found a way past him just before half-time with a glorious 20-yard strike.
Jordan Ayew went close on a couple of occasions, one of which came off the foot of the post, while Belgian Christian Benteke really should have done better with a header from six yards out.
Newcastle managed only two shots on target. Vicente Guaita was at full stretch to keep out a long-range effort from Joelinton and tipped over a fierce effort from Fabian Schar.
And to round off a thoroughly disappointing day for the visitors, January signing Valentino Lazaro was shown a straight red in stoppage time for hauling down Wilfried Zaha, who was through on goal.
The win moves Palace above Newcastle into 13th with 33 points. Newcastle drop down to 14th, with 31 points, seven clear of the drop zone.
Palace attack thrives against Newcastle
Crystal Palace boss says his side will be in a 'dogfight' to avoid relegation.
Thanks to Van Aanholt's strike Palace are no longer the team with the fewest goals scored in the league. But having drawn level with Newcastle (also 24) they really should have ended the match well clear.
The Eagles managed six shots on target in a one-sided first half - equalling their best in an entire game this season - with Dubravka thwarting them twice with two remarkable saves.
Both Ayew and Zaha were allowed plenty of space against a Newcastle side set up with five at the back. Ayew in particular impressed, coming in from the right to produce seven efforts on goal - five of which were on target.
The Ghanaian summer signing was inches away from ending his five-game drought when his low strike from 10 yards cannoned off the post before Newcastle's keeper denied him from similar range.
As for Benteke, it was one of his better games but his first-half headed miss might play on his mind for a while longer.
This was a better attacking display from Palace, but they played a Newcastle side in a generous mood.
Joelinton fires another blank
Joelinton's touchmap shows he only managed two touches in Palace's box (right) in the entire match
That is now no goals in three matches for Steve Bruce's side, and the discussions over striker Joelinton's inclusion in the XI will become more heated.
The Brazilian, signed for £40m in the summer, has scored only one goal in the league and this week his boss suggested the Brazilian was not a natural goalscorer but a "team player"., external
There is little argument over the 23-year-old's workrate but, like Bruce also said, he needs to be more selfish.
The forward did bring the travelling support to their feet with his brilliant first-half strike which was kept out by Guaita, but it is in the penalty area where the fans want him to impose himself.
The touchmap above shows he only twice managed to get on the ball in the box, and even then it was near the edge.
For how much longer will Bruce persist with him?
Man of the match - Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace)
Jordan Ayew found himself on the turf a lot because he was such a threat on the right - he was also very unlucky not to score
'Maybe it's time to change' - reaction
Palace boss Roy Hodgson: "It was hard to lose three in a row especially when in the last two we were hard done by. We dominated the game but I am disappointed we had to suffer towards the end. When it's 1-0 they are never out of the picture.
"It's our first win in 2020. It was vitally important, and had we conceded in the last few minutes it would have been disastrous. That would have knocked us for six.
"But it's a win that moves us up the table and away from the relegation zone. We never lost sight that this would be a dogfight and we wanted to stay ahead of the curve on that."
Newcastle United's Steve Bruce will look to make changes after a loss to Crystal Palace.
Newcastle manager Steve Bruce: "The better team won. We have had decent possession, but we gave the ball away too cheaply especially when in good areas.
"We didn't ask questions, maybe it is a time to change - we have to score to win a game. It was difficult with the conditions, but we have no complaints saying the better team won."
On Lazaro's red card: "With 10 seconds to go, does the referee really have to send him off? Is a yellow not sufficient? But rules are rules, and we will abide by it.
"He played very well today, we didn't find him enough - in wide areas, we ignored the lad. We needed to get it out to him, but he played very well.
"Our biggest problem all season has been evident - we have to create more of a threat in the opponent's area. We have to look at it and analyse it. Maybe change is sometimes for the best."
Van Aanholt: the best attacking defender? - stats
Palace secured their first win in eight Premier League games, after losing three and drawing four.
Newcastle have managed just one win in their last nine Premier League games (D3 L5).
Palace registered their first clean sheet in 11 top-flight games, since a 0-0 draw with Watford in December 2019.
Newcastle have failed to score in three consecutive Premier League games for the first time since January 2016.
Palace directed nine shots on target, more than in any of their other Premier League games this season (six came in the first half).
Since returning to the Premier League ahead of the 2014-15 season, Van Aanholt has scored 20 goals in the competition, more than any other defender.
What's next?
Palace are at Brighton in the Premier League next Saturday (12:30 GMT) while the Magpies are at home to Burnley (15:00).