LONDON: Newcastle United’s miserable away run in the Premier League continued on Sunday with a 3-1 defeat by Brentford after Dan Burn conceded a second-half penalty and was sent off.
Igor Thiago made it 2-1 from the spot in the 78th minute, after a 56th-minute Kevin Schade equalizer, as the hosts fought back from going a goal down against the run of play in the 27th at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Thiago then grabbed his second, and eighth league goal of the season, in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
Burn was sent off in the 73rd for his second yellow for fouling Dango Ouattara and Newcastle replaced concussed goalkeeper Nick Pope with Aaron Ramsdale off the bench in a rash of substitutes once VAR confirmed the penalty.
Newcastle have yet to win away in the league this season, losing five and drawing four in the top flight since last April, while faring considerably better at home, in the Champions League and in cup competitions.
Sunday was their third straight away defeat in the league while Brentford moved up to 12th.
“The Champions League, you have to forget about it to a degree but the Premier League is everything,” manager Eddie Howe said. “At the moment, we are suffering.
“We know we will rightly be criticized for our away form, and all we can do is stick together and fight back.”
Harvey Barnes put the visitors ahead with their first shot on target after Brentford, who have already beaten Liverpool, Manchester United and Aston Villa in West London, had come close to taking the lead.
The winger wrong-footed two defenders with a neat twist before slotting past goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
Pope denied Brentford an opener in the 17th, pushing away a Mikkel Damsgaard effort and then blocking captain Nathan Collins’ follow-up shot after a goalmouth scramble.
Despite being a goal down at halftime, Brentford had 54 percent possession and five shots to Newcastle’s two and it was not long before the scores were level again with Schade heading in off a trademark long throw from Michael Kayode.
Brentford thought they had a penalty in the 61st when Burn downed Ouattara but the referee instead booked the Brentford player for diving.
Newcastle striker Yoane Wissa, out injured since his move to Tyneside from Brentford, was absent from the visiting squad but the home fans still let their feelings be known about the manner of his departure.
Newcastle’s miserable away form continues with 3-1 loss at Brentford
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Newcastle’s miserable away form continues with 3-1 loss at Brentford
- Sunday was their third straight away defeat in the league while Brentford moved up to 12th
Dakar Rally Saudi Arabia 2026 countdown begins ahead of Jan. 3 start
- * Redesigned course introduces fresh challenges that will raise the intensity of competition
- * Event highlights Kingdom’s aims of becoming a global leader in motorsport, says Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, SAMF chairman
JEDDAH: The countdown for Dakar Rally Saudi Arabia 2026, one of the world’s toughest rally events, has begun with less than a month remaining before the seventh consecutive edition hosted in the Kingdom gets underway.
The rally will take place from Jan. 3-17 under the supervision of the Ministry of Sport. It will be organized by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation and promoted by the Saudi Motorsport Company.
Global attention will be focused on the rally as competitors prepare for a gruelling test across Saudi Arabia’s vast and varied terrain.
The upcoming edition is set to be one of the most distinctive yet, featuring a new route that will give competitors the chance to experience the Kingdom’s natural beauty, varied landscapes and historic sites.
The redesigned course introduces fresh challenges that will raise the intensity of competition, adding excitement throughout every stage.
Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation and the Saudi Motorsport Company, said: “The Dakar Rally is more than just a race; it is part of the Kingdom’s ambitious journey toward becoming a global leader in motorsport.”
This year’s rally marked a pivotal moment for Saudi motorsport when Yazeed Al-Rajhi became the first Saudi driver to claim the title in the cars category.
“It’s a milestone we are all proud of and hope to see repeated next year,” Prince Khalid said.
The SAMF chairman added: “What makes us especially proud this year is the rising number of Saudi drivers taking part, a clear indication of the success of our talent-development initiatives and next-generation programs. These achievements are the result of national efforts we all take pride in.”
Dakar Saudi Arabia 2026 will welcome 812 competitors representing 69 countries, competing with 433 vehicles across eight categories: Ultimate B, Ultimate, Stock, Challenger, Side-by-Side, Trucks, in addition to motorbikes and quad bikes. The rally will cover a total distance of 7,999 km, including 4,845 km of timed special stages.
Competition begins on Jan. 3, with a 23 km prologue stage in Yanbu, followed by stage 1 on Jan. 4 over 305 km starting and finishing in Yanbu.
Stage 2 will take place on Jan. 5 from Yanbu to AlUla (400 km), with stage 3 held in AlUla on Jan. 6 (422 km). Stage 4 follows on Jan. 7 from AlUla to the Marathon Camp (451 km).
Stage 5 runs on Jan. 8 from the Marathon Camp to Hail (372 km), and stage 6 on Jan. 9 from Hail to Riyadh (336 km).
Jan. 10 will be a rest day for the competitors in Riyadh.
Action continues Jan. 11 with stage 7 from Riyadh to Wadi Al-Dawasir (462 km), followed by stage 8 on Jan. 12 in Wadi Al-Dawasir (481 km). Stage 9 will run on Jan. 13 January toward the Marathon Camp (410 km). The rally moves on to stage 10 on Jan. 14 from the Marathon Camp to Bisha (421 km), then stage 11 on Jan. 15 from Bisha to Al-Hanakiyah (347 km).
Stage 12 follows on Jan. 16 January from Al-Hanakiyah to Yanbu (310 km), before the event concludes with the 13th and final stage in Yanbu on Jan. 17, covering 105 km.
All distances listed refer to timed special stages.
