Newcastle matched their record Premier League win with a scintillating display as they embarrassed winless Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
Any fears of a European hangover following their Champions League exertions on Tuesday soon vanished as Eddie Howe’s side cruised to victory with eight different players getting on the scoresheet.
Sean Longstaff put the visitors in front on 21 minutes as he swept in from Anthony Gordon’s cutback with the Blades’ appeals for a handball and claims the ball went out of play in the build-up dismissed.
Paul Heckingbottom’s hosts had started brightly but found themselves three down before half-time after a further two goals in four minutes for Newcastle.
Both came from Kieran Trippier set-pieces with Dan Burn stooping to nod in a corner at the back post before Sven Botman scored his first Newcastle goal with a well-directed header from a wide free-kick.
Callum Wilson missed a number of presentable opportunities before the break but got his goal 10 minutes into the second half, heading in from close range following another pinpoint cross from Trippier.
With Newcastle seemingly able to carve through the Blades at will, it was the irrepressible Gordon who added the fifth.
The former Everton winger cut in from the left and effortlessly curled the ball into the far corner past Wes Foderingham in the Sheffield United goal.
Miguel Almiron slotted in number six and Bruno Guimaraes made it seven with 17 minutes still remaining against an increasingly despondent home side.
That was plenty of time for substitute Alexander Isak to pounce on another defensive error, turn his man and calmly finish to make it 8-0, the same score by which Newcastle beat Sheffield Wednesday in 1999.
The result is also Sheffield United’s record league defeat.
Source: BBC
