Highlights: Newcastle United promoted to the Premier League

  • 25/04/2017

Newcastle United sparked a noisy promotion party by beating 10-man Preston North End 4-1 at a packed St James' Park to ensure a return to the Premier League at the first attempt.

Exactly 348 days after being relegated, Newcastle overcame their obvious nerves to bag a prize worth more than $NZ151 million and retain an outside chance of pipping Brighton & Hove Albion to the Championship title.

Two tap-ins from Ayoze Perez, a well-worked Christian Atsu goal and a Matt Ritchie penalty, after Preston's Paul Gallagher was sent off for handling on the line just past the hour mark, warmed the crowd of 50,212 on a bitter Tyneside night.

Rafa Benitez
Rafa Benitez celebrating on the pitch (Getty)

The only alarm came after 14 minutes when Preston's Jordan Hugill threatened to spoil the celebrations with a delightful flicked equaliser, but Rafa Benitez's side kept their cool to ensure they are only the second team in five years to return to the Premier League immediately after relegation.

After the match, Benitez revealed that he had given the players the day off on Tuesday but was rather cryptic in his response to whether he'd be at the helm of the Magpies next season.

"You never know, that is football," Benitez told BBC with a smile.

Newcastle are four points behind Brighton with two games left.

Reuters/Newshub.