First half bad, second half brilliant. Newcastle United returned to third position in the Premier League as they came from behind to claim a thrilling 2-1 win at Brentford that owed much to a transformative half-time double substitution from Eddie Howe.

The Magpies were fortunate to only be one goal behind at the break such was the extent of Brentford’s dominance in the first half, with Ivan Toney scoring from the penalty spot after an earlier spot-kick had been saved by Nick Pope. Toney, who troubled his former side all afternoon, also had a first-half effort ruled out for offside.

Something had to change at the break, and Howe opted to make a double switch, bringing on Callum Wilson and Anthony Gordon. The changes had an immediate effect, and Newcastle were unrecognisable after the interval.

Newcastle levelled when Joelinton’s cross-shot deflected into the net off the leg of Brentford goalkeeper David Raya, and claimed the lead ten minutes later when Alexander Isak fired into the top corner from the edge of the box.

Pope made a crucial late save from a Toney header, with the victory enabling Newcastle to return to third position after they had briefly been dislodged by Manchester United’s lunchtime win over Everton.

The success, which made it five wins in a row, was merited on the strength of the Magpies’ second-half performance, although they had been decidedly second-best in the opening 45 minutes, when they somehow made it to first-half stoppage time before falling behind.

They had a major let-off just eight minutes in when Toney bundled home the rebound after Pope could only parry a header from Pontus Jansson. A goal was initially awarded, but a VAR check showed Toney had strayed marginally offside before Jansson got up to the win the ball.

Jansson won another header five minutes later, looping an effort onto the roof of the net after a cross from Josh Dasilva, and Brentford’s dominance continued as they won their first penalty of the afternoon shortly before the half-hour mark.

Kevin Schade skipped past Fabian Schar on the touchline, and his burst into the area was only halted when he was clattered by Sven Botman.

Toney stepped up, but having scored his previous 24 spot-kicks, the former Newcastle forward was left frustrated when Pope saved his side-footed effort.

Sixteen minutes later, however, and he was making amends when Brentford were awarded their second penalty of the game.

This time it was Isak committing the crucial foul, with the Swedish striker catching Rico Henry after the full-back won a header in the box from a corner.

The contact was slight, and the ball appeared to have got away from Henry before he was caught, but after a lengthy VAR check, referee Chris Kavanagh was instructed to check his pitch-side screen.

A penalty was duly awarded, and despite his earlier miss, Toney took responsibility again. This time, he scored, side-footing a well-struck effort to Pope’s left.

With his side having been completely outplayed in the first half, and looking uncharacteristically flat and devoid of intensity, Howe opted to make two changes at the break.

Wilson and Gordon came onto the field, replacing Sean Longstaff and Jacob Murphy, neither of whom had been able to make much of an impact before the interval.

The changes resulted in a switch of formation, with Isak playing as a number ten between Gordon and Joe Willock, and the transformation in Newcastle’s performance levels was remarkable. Within 16 minutes of the second half, the Magpies turned a one-goal deficit into a one-goal lead.

Their 51st-minute equaliser went down as a David Raya own goal, with Joelinton twisting past Ben Mee before sliding in a cross-shot that found the net via the leg of the Brentford goalkeeper.

Ten minutes later, and the turnaround was complete as Newcastle claimed the lead. Wilson laid the ball off to Isak, and from the edge of the area, the Swede curled a sensational first-time finish into the top right-hand corner.

Isak came close again moments later with another first-time strike that was saved by Raya, and from the resultant corner, the Magpies thought they had extended their lead.

Kieran Trippier’s set-piece rebounded off both Wilson and Botman before the former swivelled to fire home, but a VAR check ruled that the ball had struck Newcastle’s number nine on the arm, and the effort was duly ruled out.

Brentford were reeling from the force of the Magpies’ fightback, but the hosts almost claimed a leveller with ten minutes left.

Toney met a free-kick from the left with a goal-bound glanced header, but Pope got down superbly to claw the ball away down to his left.

Wilson and Elliott Anderson both wasted stoppage-time opportunities to make the win safe, and hearts were in mouths when Toney looped an extremely late header onto the roof of the net.