Newcastle United ended the 2023/24 season in winning style during an entertaining encounter at Brentford - and must now play the waiting game to see if they can secure European football.

Regardless of Manchester United's last day victory at Brighton, Newcastle's fate will be decided by the outcome of next weekend's FA Cup final. Eddie Howe's side must now hope for Manchester City to lift the FA Cup to hand the Magpies a place in the Europa Conference League next season.

After a campaign of injury hell, suspension problems and the departure of sporting director Dan Ashworth, that would be a major achievement for Howe and his players. The seventh place finish also meant that Newcastle have achieved two top half finishes in successive seasons for the first time since the Sir Bobby Robson era.

Brentford went into the game having picked up 10 points from their last five games and they had the first glimpse of goal when former Newcastle striker Ivan Toney's overhead kick flew over the top of Nick Pope's goal in the opening moments. Another warning shot for United came as Bryan Mbeumo sliced them open down the right before crossing for Toney to tap home, but a VAR check chalked off the strike after four minutes.

READ MORE: Recap all the action from Brentford on the final day of the season

Mbeumo flew past Lewis Hall a second time on eight minutes to pick out Toney again but this time Pope saved with his foot. Newcastle had a golden opportunity on 10 minutes as Alexander Isak crossed to the back post for Joelinton but he diverted it wide at the back post for a horror miss from just eight yards.

It felt like Toon nerves needed to be settled in West London. And those prayers were answered when a good move down the right culminated in Bruno Guimaraes whipping in a perfect cross for Harvey Barnes to head home from close range to hand United a much-needed goal.

Isak played in Sean Longstaff on 26 minutes with the midfielder slotting home but he would be denied a goal after a VAR check which ruled the Sweden star was offside. Joelinton was booked for a foul on Mathias Jensen on 28 minutes.

But Newcastle doubled their money on 36 minutes to tighten their grip on seventh place after Dan Burn's long punt up the field before a Brentford defensive blunder. Isak then raced in and crossed to the back post for Jacob Murphy to slide home to make it 2-0 on 36 minutes.

It was effectively game over two minutes later as Murphy battled for the ball to play in Bruno. The Brazilian international then slipped in the £63million who did the rest and extended the lead to 3-0.

Isak could have had another before the break but Newcastle were very much on top and doing their side of the bargain on the Premier League's final day of the season.

But Brentford started the second half with a response and pulled one back after being cut open down the right. Vitaly Janelt's tidy finish after Yoane Wissa's cross on 48 minutes dented Pope's chances of a clean sheet on his return in a poor start to the second half.

Barnes showed brilliant feet on the edge of the box before winning a free-kick right on the edge of the area on the hour mark to hand Newcastle a dangerous free-kick. Fabian Schar stepped up which deflected off the wall before Isak's follow up was also poor and went well wide.

Pope made a tremendous diving save on 63 minutes to deny Toney from close range with the England stopper getting back into his stride. With Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate watching it was a timely reminder of what he could bring to the table for his country.

Howe introduced Elliot Anderson and Miguel Almiron for the final quarter of the game with Jacob Murphy and Barnes coming off. But Brentford were not finished as Toney played the ball to Wissa before he turned Burn wonderfully and curled a spectacular goal past Pope to make it 3-2 with 20 minutes to go.

But four minutes later, Lewis Hall broke into the box with Mbeumo tripping the on loan defender in the box and referee Simon Hooper pointing to the spot. However, the award was then downgraded to a free-kick after a VAR check.

Yet the drama was far from over for Newcastle as Isak stepped up to smash the free-kick at the keeper who could only block the ball into the path of Bruno. With the Brazil star lurking, he made no mistake to tap home from close range and reduce any nerves with 13 minutes left.

Howe threw on England internationals Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson for the last 10 minutes with the game sewn up. Howe handed Paul Dummett a cameo at the end of the game as the defender waits to see if he will be handed a new deal.

But after a season of trials and tribulations, Newcastle signed off in style and avoided any late day jitters to wrap one hand around a European place. It's now whether Man City can do Newcastle a big favour at Wembley.

Referee: Simon Hooper

Attendance: 17,124