Newcastle United improve Champions League hopes, big wins for Bournemouth and West Ham United in tense relegation battle

Newcastle reclaimed third spot, Leicester suffered a seventh defeat in eight, and West Ham recorded a crucial win on the road in a whirlwind afternoon of Premier League football.

Eddie Howe’s Newcastle had to come from behind to beat Brentford in west London and further improve their chances of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

Ivan Toney missed a penalty for the first time after 22 successful previous attempts when Nick Pope guessed right, but the England striker was given the chance to right his wrongs when Chris Kavanagh pointed to the spot for a second time after Alexander Isak fouled Rico Henry.

Pope guessed right again, but couldn’t keep Toney’s effort out which handed Thomas Frank’s side the lead.

Joelinton levelled the score for Newcastle 10 minutes into the second half, which later went down as a David Raya own goal, despite a great finish from the Brazilian who slotted the ball beneath Raya’s legs at the near post.

Newcastle took control of the game five minutes later when Isak scored with a well-taken finish from the edge of the box.

Callum Wilson found the net for what Newcastle thought was a third goal, but it was ruled out by VAR for a handball when the strike brought the ball down before pulling the trigger.

The Magpies’ win is their fifth successive league victory, and they’re three points clear of Spurs in fifth with a game in hand.

Leicester’s torrid time continued when they were beaten at home to fellow relegation battlers Bournemouth, who stole all three points thanks to Phillip Billing’s strike five minutes before half-time.

The south coast side climbed out of the bottom three and up to 15th, while Leicester – who are rumoured to be in advanced talks with Jesse Marsch as their next permanent manager – remain 19th, two points from safety.

West Ham bounced back from their 5-1 defeat to Newcastle in midweek with a huge victory at Fulham.

Harrison Reed’s own goal in the 23rd minute split the sides. The midfielder could only turn Jarrod Bowen’s cross into the Fulham goal after a silky West Ham move against the run of play.

It moves West Ham into 13th and three points clear of the relegation zone, which can’t be said for Nottingham Forest who were beaten at Villa Park.

Bertrand Traore scored for the second successive game when he put Aston Villa in front early on in the second half, and Watkins sealed the three points in the 95th minute with his 12th league goal of the season.

Forest dropped into the bottom three thanks to Bournemouth’s win, and join Leicester and Southampton at the foot of the table.