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| Georginio Wijnaldum stole the show as football returned to St James' after the Rugby World Cup games |
HIS name hardly rolls off the tongue but Newcastle fans hailed a new hero as they registered their first Premier League win in barnstorming style.
Georginio Wijnaldum notched up Newcastle's first four-goal haul since Alan Shearer marked Sir Bobby Robson's first game in charge with five in an 8-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday 16 years ago.
It has been a grim week for Dutch football but the country's reigning Footballer of the Year at least has plenty to celebrate.
And so too will Newcastle if he carries on like this.
Wijnaldum may play in midfield but he possesses goalscoring qualities many strikers would dearly love.
Deadly in the air, composed in front of goal and with an uncanny knack of timing his runs into the box perfectly, the former PSV Eindhoven skipper was at the heart of a rip-roaring Toon victory which puts them in great heart ahead of next week's Tyne-Wear derby at Sunderland.
Throw in the fact that Aleksandar Mitrovic scored his first home goal with a Shearer-esque finish and this was heady stuff from a side even manager Steve McClaren admitted had a losing mentality.
Typical Newcastle. Just when the storm clouds are gathering, they romp to their biggest league win since hitting Aston Villa for six in August 2010.
The scoreline was ultimately emphatic but Newcastle were far from perfect. Indeed, though they trailed 3-2 at the time, Norwich probably still fancied their chances before Mitrovic struck in the 64th minute.
The first half had resembled a game of basketball with one team scoring only for the other to march straight upfield and hit back.
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| Controversial forward Alexsandar Mitrovic joined Wijnaldum on the scoresheet |
As a showcase for the Premier League's claim to be the most exciting league in the world, this provided powerful evidence.
But the best? Not with comic-book defending which would have looked out of place in a testimonial.
St James' Park once prided itself on serving up thrillers every fortnight but during the opening 45 minutes in particular, the entertainment was of the circus variety with both backlines defending like clowns.
Still, after the doom and gloom that has enveloped their club this season, there was plenty for the home fans to smile about, not least the finishing prowess of Wijnaldum and a return to form for Sissoko - at least in an attacking sense.
The Frenchman has come under fire for his lack of application in recent weeks but he was the architect behind all three Toon goals before the break and one after.
The madness started in the 14th minute when Sissoko feigned to shoot only to drift inside and slip a pass through to Wijnaldum, who drew John Ruddy before drilling a low shot past him.
Crowd celebrations had barely died down when Robbie Brady smacked a 25-yard shot against the post. The Irishman then played his part in Dieumerci Mbokani's 20th-minute equaliser.
He found Martin Olsson in acres of space down the left and the full-back had time to pick out the Mbokani who finished smartly at the near post.
Parity did not last long, however, with Sissoko finding Wijnaldum with a perfectly flighted cross and the Dutchman nipped in ahead of Steven Whittaker to plant a header past Ruddy.
Ayoze Perez stretched Newcastle's lead in the 33rd minute as the home side counter-attacked with devastating effect.
Sissoko was again the supply-line and, though Olsson blocked his first effort, Perez reacted quickly to missile the ball across Ruddy into the far corner.
Norwich were right back in it when Nathan Redmond met Olsson's deep cross with a meaty volley after Daryl Janmaat and Sissoko had again gone missing on the right.
The Canaries looked the better side after the restart until Mitrovic pounced in the 64th minute, chesting down Sissoko's arrowed pass before volleying home.
Wijnaldum, however, had the final say. He completed his hat-trick with another fine header from Janmaat's cross and made it 6-2 in the 85th minute when his shot took a wicked deflection off Steven Whittaker, totally deceiving Ruddy.
Newcastle (4-2-3-1): Elliot 6; Janmaat 5, Mbemba 6, Coloccini 5, Dummett 5 (Haidara 65, 6); Tiote 5 (Anita 46, 6), Colback 6; Sissoko 8, Perez 8, Wijnaldum 9; Mitrovic 7 (Cisse 88). Booked: Tiote. Goals: Wijnaldum 14, 26, 66, 85, Perez 33, Mitrovic 64. NEXT Up: Sunderland (a), Premier League, Sunday.
Norwich (4-2-3-1); Ruddy 5; Whittaker 4, Martin 4, Bassong 5, Olsson 6 (Jerome 84); Tettey 5 (Hoolahan 62, 6), Dorrans 6 (O'Neill 84); Redmond 7, Howson 5, Brady 7; Mbokani 7. Booked: Dorrans. Goals: Mbokani Bezua 20, Redmond 34. NEXT Up: West Brom (h), Premier League, Saturday.
Referee: A Taylor (Cheshire).
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