Newcastle United have shaken off the effects of a COVID-19 outbreak at the club, with Miguel Almiron netting the fastest Premier League goal of the season and Dwight Gayle scoring a late winner in a 2-1 victory over West Bromwich Albion.
Victory moved Newcastle up to 11th, as Steve Bruce's side played their first match in two weeks, after their fixture against Aston Villa was postponed, when several squad members and staff tested positive for COVID-19.
Almiron fired Newcastle ahead after 20 seconds, when a mistake by Branislav Ivanovic allowed the hosts to counterattack and Joelinton found the Paraguayan midfielder unmarked in the box, as West Brom scrambled to recover.
The visitors equalised five minutes after the restart, when Matt Phillips's cross was met by Darnell Furlong, who stretched to place a sweet, low volley into the bottom corner.
Substitute Gayle nearly made it 2-1 a minute after coming on in the 70th minute - his first appearance of the season - when he out-muscled his marker to head on a corner kick towards the goal, only to see Phillips clear it off the line.
But Gayle restored Newcastle's lead against his former club in the 82nd minute, when he connected with fellow substitute Jacob Murphy's cross and his bullet header into the top corner hit the underside of the bar on its way into the net.
The result left West Brom in the relegation zone at 19th, with six points from 12 games, increasing pressure on manager Slaven Bilic, who is in danger of being sacked during the busy December schedule.
West Brom travel to Manchester City next, while Newcastle are away to Leeds United.
Aston Villa sink Wolves with late El Ghazi penalty
Aston Villa snatched a 1-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers, after substitute Anwar El Ghazi drilled in a stoppage-time penalty, as both sides finished the game with 10 men.
Villa had Douglas Luiz sent off in the 85th minute and Wolves midfielder Joao Moutinho was dismissed shortly after the visitors scored against the run of play to register their fourth away win of the season.
The result lifted Villa up to eighth on 18 points from 10 games, while Wolves stayed 11th on 17 points from 12 games, again sorely missing injured striker Raul Jimenez.
El Ghazi felt relaxed about taking the penalty.
"I practice penalties a lot, even if I am not playing," the Dutch midfielder has told the BBC.
"I did not feel a lot of pressure to be honest. I appreciate Jack Grealish gave it to me, but he knows my capabilities."
The home side looked more likely to grab the winner in a dour clash, with 18-year-old striker Fabio Silva hitting the post midway through the second half, as he made his first start for the club.
Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez pulled off several fine saves, taming a stinging low shot from Daniel Podence, before he somehow kept out a fierce Leander Dendoncker volley 10 minutes from time.
When the match seemed to be heading for a draw, Nelson Semedo hauled down John McGinn in the penalty area and El Ghazi made no mistake with the spot-kick, as he blasted the ball past keeper Rui Patricio.
Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo wants his team to be more ruthless.
"In the first half, it was an intense game and both teams were tight," he says. "In the second, we controlled the game and had clear chances.
"We try to keep growing on these aspects and be more clinical. Silva worked hard.
"The idea to make a player grow is to help him and give him competition."
