Ipswich Town 0-4 Newcastle United: Isak scores hat-trick in Portman Road rout

Alexander Isak scored a hat-trick, including Newcastle United’s fastest-ever away goal in the Premier League, as the Magpies crushed Ipswich Town 4-0 at Portman Road.

Eddie Howe’s team, who also thrashed Leicester City 4-0 last week before making the EFL Cup semi-finals by overcoming Brentford on Wednesday, led inside just 25 seconds courtesy of Isak’s volley.

Jacob Murphy, whose driving run had helped tee up the opener, powered in a second shortly after the half-hour mark, then Isak punished some terrible play from Ipswich to make it 3-0 before the break.

Arijanet Muric passed to Jens Cajuste under pressure in his own area, and when the Ipswich man was dispossessed by Bruno Guimaraes, Isak was left with a simple finish.

Murphy then produced one of the assists of the season for Isak’s hat-trick goal early in the second half, his brilliant backheel picking out the striker for a prodded finish.

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Guimaraes headed against the post and Dan Burn saw a late strike chalked off for offside, with Newcastle’s jubilant travelling fans having to settle for four goals.

The convincing win takes Newcastle seventh in the Premier League table, just four points off the top four ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Crystal Palace later on Saturday.

Ipswich stay 18th, two points adrift of Leicester City in 17th ahead of the Foxes’ meeting with Wolves on Sunday.

Data Debrief: Swedish sensation Isak the difference

Isak’s hat-trick was his first in the Premier League, and just the second scored by a Swedish player in the competition, after Freddie Ljungberg for Arsenal at Sunderland in May 2003.

Newcastle’s talisman now has a remarkable eight goal involvements in his last four league outings, netting six and assisting two.

He has been involved in 15 goals in his 12 Premier League games against promoted teams, scoring 13 and assisting two while only failing to register a goal contribution in two of those matches.