Newcastle United have moved within just three points of third place following a 3-1 win against Southampton at St Mary's.

Jan Bednarek's header gave bottom of the table Southampton a shock lead in the 10th minute, but Alexander Isak turned the game on its head with a quickfire double. Sandro Tonali added a third after the break with a cool finish.

Here are five things we learned from the game.

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Alexander Isak is worth his weight in gold

Adam Armstrong was letting fly from distance. Southampton fans were roaring in encouragement. The Premier League's basement boys were playing like a side who were far from doomed after taking a shock early lead at St Mary's.

Newcastle needed someone to take the game by the scruff of the neck and Alexander Isak certainly did that. After winning a penalty midway through the first half, Isak stepped up from the spot and coolly sent goalkeeper Alex McCarthy the wrong way. Rather than celebrating, after becoming the first Newcastle player to score in five successive away games in the Premier League, Isak rushed to grab the ball as the visitors jogged back to their half so that the game could get back under way quickly.

A clear message was sent - Newcastle wanted a second and fast - and the hungry Magpies were soon in front after taking Southampton apart from their own goal kick on the half-hour mark. McCarthy went long but Dan Burn, grappling with Paul Onuachu on the halfway line, beat the Southampton striker in the air and the ball came to Sandro Tonali, who hooked it on to Jacob Murphy.

Murphy skipped away from Joel Aribo and played a fizzing ball in behind to Isak, who controlled it expertly with a deft touch before finishing past the sliding McCarthy. Isak, in the process, helped to flip the scoreline in just five minutes. The striker really is worth his weight in gold.

VAR explanation after Southampton fans' anger

It certainly looked a penalty. As Alexander Isak shaped up to shoot, Joel Aribo stuck his left leg out and took the Newcastle striker down inside the box midway through the first half. Cue a VAR check.

As the incident was replayed on the big screen, one Southampton fan remarked: "THAT'S SOFT!" before referee Samuel Barrott awarded a penalty. Efan Ekoku, who was on the gantry, felt it was a 'poor decision' because he did not see 'Aribo's boot on Isak's'. "It's not a clear and obvious error. It's not an error at all to me," the former Wimbledon defender claimed. "I think they have been gifted one there."

However, in a statement, the Premier League match centre explained that VAR deemed there was 'sufficient contact for a penalty' and recommended an on-field review. Barrott duly consulted the screen, overturned the original decision and pointed to the spot. That did not stop aggrieved Southampton supporters booing the officials off the field at half-time, though.

Sandro Tonali hunger is rewarded

Newcastle were in control, at 2-1, but Southampton sent a timely reminder the hosts were still very much in this when Taylor Harwood-Bellis' overhead kick was punched over the bar by Martin Dubravka just a few minutes into the second half. Newcastle needed a killer third goal and the Magpies soon grabbed one.

The ball was pumped forward in the 51st minute and, although Jan Bednarek won the initial header, Sandro Tonali got there before Mateus Fernandes to win the second ball and head it on to Alexander Isak.

Isak cleverly flicked the ball to Anthony Gordon who hooked it on first-time to play the tireless Tonali in after the Italy international burst forward. Tonali had not scored a league goal since his memorable debut in August, 2023 yet you would not have known it. Tonali gave the goalkeeper the eyes and finished like a striker right in front of the away end, who swallowed him up.

Geordies were soon chanting 'Say hello to Sunderland' to Southampton and Newcastle showed the Premier League's bottom of the table side no mercy as the visitors pushed for more goals. Jacob Murphy hit the post while Joelinton had a goalbound effort blocked by Jan Bednarek.

However, Newcastle were fortunate not to concede themselves late on. There were just a few minutes to go when Alex McCarthy launched the ball up field and Fabian Schar, inexplicably, allowed the ball to bounce. Manuel Fernandes pounced and finished past Dubravka - only for VAR to come to the visitors' rescue and disallow the goal for offside.

A fitting potential send-off for Miguel Almiron

This was another away day to savour for the 3,000 Geordies who made the voyage down to the South Coast and they certainly gave Miguel Almiron a fitting send-off - if this proves the forward's final game for the club ahead of a return to Atlanta United.

The away end cheered Almiron on to the field, after the substitute entered the fray in the 88th minute, and went on to repeatedly sing the Paraguay international's name to the tune of 'Give It Up' by KC and The Sunshine Band. By full-time, Geordies were still bouncing up and down and belting the song out, and Eddie Howe pushed Almiron forward to take the acclaim of the crowd. The 30-year-old responded by applauding the support and giving Geordies a couple of prolonged waves before sharing an emotional embrace with Howe.

Newcastle recover from shock opener

December 4. That was the last time Southampton scored at home in the league. To put that goal drought into context, the Saints had a different manager, Russell Martin, at the time.

Newcastle's recent winning run was built on a strong defensive foundation, but the Magpies were taken apart by Bournemouth last week and still appeared to be feeling the aftereffects of that defeat when Southampton launched their first attack in the 10th minute.

Kyle Walker-Peters wriggled away from Dan Burn by the byline far too easily and the ball came to James Bree, who had all the time he needed to swing a cross into the box after no one bothered to close the defender down out on the right. To top it all off, Jan Bednarek then had a free header to put Southampton in front after the Saints captain ghosted in between Tino Livramento and Fabian Schar. It was an awful goal to concede but, crucially, Newcastle did not panic and the Magpies recovered.