Two 8/10s and one 5 - Newcastle player ratings from Palace

A vital win for Newcastle United on Sunday as goals from Will Osula and Harvey Barnes did the damage against an out-of-sorts Crystal Palace.

It was a pretty awful first half, but we responded superbly in the second 45 to end a run of away defeats and move up to 8th in the Premier League.

Here are our marks out of 10 and comments on each player involved in yesterday's 2-0 win.

Starting 11 

Hornicek (8) - Made some crucial saves and looked much more assured with the experience of Burn and Schar in front of him which can’t be a coincidence. Will gain a lot of confidence from this performance.

Dedic (7.5) - A welcome return to the starting line up and capped off a good display with the assist for the second goal. Looks fully recovered from his injury issues and will look for an extended run in the team.

Schar (7) - First start since January and he celebrated with a well earned clean sheet. Was uncharacteristically rusty with his long balls but still remains the best footballing centre back at the club. 

Burn (7.5) - The return of the big man coincided with the return of on field leadership which has been sorely missing this season. Was his usual reliable self and must start every game for the foreseeable future.

Hall (7.5) - Continues to show he’s a class above with another stellar display. Another one who seemed to benefit from having Burn back alongside him. Best left back in the country?

Nico (8) - Much better performance as the midfield looked a lot more solid this week. Showed his class and juggled the ball brilliantly after winning it back in the build up to our second goal. Still room for improvement but this was a step in the right direction. Kept the midfield ticking along nicely.

Joelinton (6.5) - Had an opportunity to add a third in the second half but blazed it over the bar. Wasn’t an impactful as some other players but was steady enough in the middle of the park. Still looks like he’s finding peak fitness.

Murphy (7) - The enigma that is Jacob Murphy. Can frustrate and delight in equal measures but showcased exactly why he is selected with a peach of a cross for the opening goal. Didn’t do too much else but played a major role in securing the 3 points.

Barnes (7) - Wrapped up the win with a neat finish from Dedic’s cutback. Still looks like our most polished attacker and needs to continue to perform. Can be a bit one dimensional at times in attack cutting back onto his right foot.

Willock (5.5) - Unfortunately he’s just not a number 10. Couldn’t get into the game at all and was largely a spectator. With the return to fitness of Ramsey he may find himself back on the bench. 

Osula (7) - Barely had a kick all game but credit to him for being ready to take the opportunity and that’s exactly what he did when he tucked away the opening goal. Still very raw but looks like he has the trust of the manager.

Substitutes 

Wissa (4) - A really sloppy cameo. He didn’t do anything to suggest he should be back in the side. Needs to regain that sharpness we saw earlier in the season. 

Elanga (NR) - Good to see him back for a brief cameo. Made some decent runs in behind. 

Ramsey (NR) - See above. A boost to have both back. Didn’t see much of the ball. 

Steur (NR) - Will be wondering why he’s stopped getting much game time since Hull. 

Thiaw (NR) - Replaced Dedic late on to help us see out the clean sheet.