Allan Saint-Maximin 9, Callum Wilson 7; Nick Pope 4: Newcastle United v Burnley player ratings

French attacker produces stunning performance as the Magpies run out 3-1 winners at St James' Park

NEWCASTLE RATINGS: Karl Darlow - 6: Made superb start to season, in for the injured Martin Dubravka and made a couple of important saves here. But he dropped the ball under no pressure just after break and was relieved to see the ball fall to a black and white shirt. A few other shaky moments on crosses. AFP

Emil Krafth - 7: Preferred to Manquillo at right-back, the Swede provided good cross to Joelinton in first half but the Brazilian failed to take his chance. Vital last-ditch tackle to stop Wood getting in shot. Reuters

Fabian Schar - 7: Just returned from shoulder injury and seemed to aggravate the problem after hitting the deck awkwardly in the first half. Played on clearly in discomfort but was taken off 10 minutes into second half. A blow for Newcastle with captain Lascelles already out injured. Getty

Federico Fernandez - 8: Barnes and Wood are physical opponents who are handfuls in the air but the Argentine coped admirably. The latter did get the better of Fernandez early in the second half but couldn’t get his shot away. Getty

Jamal Lewis - 7: The summer signing from Norwich provides Newcastle with a good attacking option from left-back. Booked in second half for catching Barnes in the neck with his arm. EPA

Jeff Hendrick - 5: Failed to close down McNeil early on, allowing his former Burnley teammate to fire in a dangerous shot. Should have scored after finding himself in space in the box before break but could only shoot weakly into side netting. Should have made it four but couldn't to get on the end of a tantalising cross from the left with 10 minutes left. AFP

Isaac Hayden - 7: One wonderful crossfield ball in the first half to Krafth down right. Shot from edge of area straight at Pope in second. Mr Reliable in midfield for the black and whites. AP

Jonjo Shelvey - 8: Much improved passing display from the midfielder after struggling for much of the midweek League Cup win at Newport. Lovely cross after half an hour handed Wilson chance to score and another curling ball with outside of right book set up chance for Hendrick. Reuters

Allan Saint-Maximin - 9: Manager Steve Bruce would have been delighted to have Frenchman’s attacking threat back after injury. Mazy run and quality low finish put his team ahead. Another brilliant run and pinpoint cross to put second goal on a plate for Wilson. Unplayable when in full flow and the Clarets had to resort to constant fouls to stop him. Limped off with 20 minutes to go – much to Burnley’s relief. EPA

Joelinton - 5: Booked in first half for throwing ball away, had half a chance with a header from Krafth cross but couldn’t make proper connection. Never looked like scoring, no attacking threat and still amazes that Newcastle paid £40m for the Brazilian. AFP

Callum Wilson - 7: Almost caught Pope in possession early on and was unlucky to see his block fall behind for goal kick. Headed wide just before half-hour mark and was disappointed not to at least hit the target. In right place to tap home perfect pass from Saint-Maximin and put Newcastle 2-0 up. Cool finish from penalty spot for his second and the Magpies’ third. Reuters

SUBS: Javier Manquillo – (On for Schar 55’) 7: Can count himself unlucky to lose his starting spot but slotted in well after coming on. Reuters

Ryan Fraser – (On for Sanit-Maximin 73’) 7: A tough act to follow coming on for the brilliant Saint-Maximin but the Scot made an instant impact, first winning a penalty after being fouled by Pope and then nearly catching out the goalkeeper with a cheeky lob from distance. AP

Sean Longstaff – (On for Joelinton 90 +3) N/A: Almost scored straight after coming on at the death when he curled just wide from distance. Getty

BURNLEY: Nick Pope - 4: Nearly caught out in first few minutes when Wilson blocked his clearance but the ball landed behind for goalkick. The goalkeeper was then beaten to the ball by Wilson outside the box but the Newcastle player couldn’t capitalise. Got hand to Saint-Maximin strike but failed to keep it out. Poor control resulted in him giving away penalty for third goal. Bad day at the office for England hopeful. AP

Phil Bardsley - 5: Couldn’t deal with the attacking danger of Saint-Maximin and should have been booked before half-time for constant fouls on the Frenchman. EPA

Kevin Long - 6: Struggled to deal with the Newcastle attack in the opening half but Long – and the defence as a whole - tightened up after break, until Saint-Maximin's attacking skills handed initiative back to the Geordies. EPA

James Tarkowski – 6: Vital sliding challenge to deny Lewis a shot at goal midway through opening 45 minutes. Booked for flailing elbow in first half. Interesting to see whether he is still a Burnley player when the transfer window closes on Monday. Getty

Charlie Taylor – Quality cross from left almost handed chance to Wood after 20 minutes. Skinned by Saint-Maximin in run-up to second goal. EPA

Josh Brownhill - 6: Midfielder struggled and made little impact on the game, especially in first half when Newcastle were dominant. AP

Ashley Westwood - 6: Marked his 100th Premier League game for Burnley with excellent volley to deservedly bring Burnley level on the hour. Reuters

Dale Stephens - 6: Was left for dead by Saint-Maximin before opening goal. Like rest of the Burnley midfield, lacked a bit of quality and failed to give Wood and Barnes much to work with. Getty

Dwight McNeil - 6: Good low strike after five minutes forced decent save from Darlow. Booked for pulling shirt of a rampant Saint-Maximin. One of Burnley’s key attacking options was largely anonymous and was too easily brushed off by the French attacker in run-up to Newcastle’s second. Getty

Chris Wood - 6: Half a chance early on after being set-up by Barnes but couldn’t find his feet and miskicked his shot. Left fighting for scraps due to poor service from midfield. Header at start of second half easily saved by Darlow. EPA

Ashley Barnes - 6: Had ball in the net after 35 minutes but was well offside. Stupid booking for kicking out at Hayden just before break. Getty

SUBS: Johann Gudmundsson (On for Stephens 68’) 5: Match was running away from Burnley when he came on and couldn’t help drag them back into it. EPA

Matej Vydra (On for Barnes 77’) N/A. AP

Gareth Cox

Callum Wilson paid off another couple of instalments of his £20 million ($25.8m) transfer fee with a double to hand Newcastle United a Premier League win over Burnley on a rain-soaked afternoon at St James' Park.

But it was marauding French winger French Allan Saint-Maximin who provided the inspiration to Newcastle's victory with a virtually unplayable attacking display.

Former Bournemouth striker Wilson, whose stoppage-time penalty secured an unlikely draw at Tottenham on Sunday, struck midway through the second half and then converted a 78th-minute spot-kick to fire the League Cup quarter-finalists into the top six after four games.

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Saint-Maximin had given the Magpies a 14th-minute lead and it was he, after the rallying Clarets had levelled through Ashley Westwood's sweet volley on the hour, who provided the ammunition for Wilson to finish from close range, claiming his third goal in four league games.

Wilson helped himself to a second from the penalty spot with 12 minutes remaining after substitute Ryan Fraser had been fouled by Pope as he attempted to atone for a dreadful touch on a back pass.

Pope, hoping to challenge Jordan Pickford for the England No 1 spot, endured a torrid day on Tyneside and almost gifted Wilson a goal in the opening minutes.

Pope was also lucky to escape without conceding moments later – charging out of his area and watching helplessly as the forward skipped round him but Wilson could not capitalise on the error.

Newcastle manager Steve Bruce, though, will be concerned that Saint-Maximin and Swiss defender Fabian Schar both had to be substituted with injuries.

Focusing on the positives, Bruce said: "I am delighted for the players. We've all had our fair share of criticism this week, maybe rightly so.

"Tonight we have hopefully quietened a few for a while anyway. We have tried to change and be more expansive. It goes up and down so quickly – that's Newcastle.

"If we can keep Allan Saint-Maximin fit he will get people off their seats, he can do things that other people can't. He is explosive. He is a goalscorer and a threat."

Updated: October 04, 2020, 3:10 AM