Osula and Barnes see Newcastle past toothless Palace at Selhurst Park

Newcastle United moved through the gears after half-time to beat Crystal Palace 2-0 at Selhurst Park, a result that leaves Pierre Sage facing mounting questions over his position, Sky Sports Football reported.

Will Osula broke the deadlock two minutes into the second half, turning in a Jacob Murphy cross, before Harvey Barnes doubled the lead in the 58th minute with the finish to a flowing passing move, according to the Guardian's account of the match.

The breakthrough followed a first half that offered little to either set of fans. The Guardian reported a pass completion rate of just 72.8% across the opening 45 minutes and only two shots on target in the entire period, describing conditions as blustery and the atmosphere as increasingly subdued as the half wore on.

Palace had the better of the sparse early chances. Daichi Kamada sliced a finish wide after a promising run from Dwight McNeil, Jean-Philippe Mateta dragged an effort off target, and McNeil later rolled a low pass through a vacant six-yard box following good work by Yéremy Pino, per the Guardian.

None of it yielded a goal, and Newcastle's improvement after the interval proved decisive. Joe Willock also had an effort ruled out for a marginal offside five minutes after Osula's opener, the Guardian noted, before Barnes settled the contest shortly afterwards. Home supporters responded with boos as the significance of the result sank in.

The defeat extends a troubling run for Palace, who have won just two of their last eight league games. The Guardian pointed to the summer departures of Maxence Lacroix and Daniel Muñoz as part of a wider player exodus that has left Sage contending with circumstances not entirely of his own making.

Their previous home fixture against Nottingham Forest had offered false comfort, with Palace outplayed for long spells yet somehow ahead at half-time, while last week's heavy defeat at Brighton was described by the Guardian as the sort of result that might have cost some managers their job outright.

For Newcastle, the win was built on a disciplined defensive display. Yahoo Sports rated goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek highly for a string of saves that secured the clean sheet, while centre-backs Fabian Schar and Dan Burn were credited with commanding performances at the back.

Further forward, Jacob Murphy and Amar Dedic both picked up assists, with Murphy also praised for his work in both boxes, according to Yahoo Sports. Osula and Barnes, the two goalscorers, were named among Newcastle's standout performers on the day.

The win keeps up Newcastle's momentum on the road, while Sage's Palace side must now find a response before the pressure on the manager intensifies further.