Newcastle United put in one of their best performances of the season to stave off any lingering doubts they could be dragged into a relegation fight.
Instead, after beating Bournemouth comfortably at the Vitality Stadium, they are now looking up the table after boosting their chances of a top 10 finish - and an outside shot at a Europa League place.
But the importance of this win for Steve Bruce was clear as he roared in the third and fourth goals knowing his team had achieved their first objective of the campaign to steer clear of any threat of the drop.
Interestingly, United are now seven points better off than the same stage as last year and have reached the same 42-point mark that took them until game 36 to achieve in 2018/19.
Bruce rang the changes and started the game with Sean Longstaff as a number 10 behind Dwight Gayle and the move paid off very early into this long haul clash for the Magpies.
The former Crystal Palace man did not have to wait long to put his FA Cup miss against Manchester City behind him.
Jefferson Lerma got into a mess on the edge of the box with Sean Longstaff winning the ball before Allan Saint-Maximin slipped in Gayle.
The Toon striker then kept his composure to guide it into the corner to beat Aaron Ramsdale and open the scoring after just five minutes.
Two minutes later, Bournemouth responded when Philp Billing sent a shot wide of the target.
On 22 minutes, Dominic Solanke attempted an over the shoulder volley with the ball just missing the target as United survived a real scare.
Newcastle created again on 28 minutes when Javier Manquillo picked out Gayle but despite his attempt to flick goalwards, Nathan Ake cleared the danger.
With half an hour played United came at Bournemouth once more with Allan Saint-Maximin teasing the home defence before cutting the ball back for Sean Longstaff who hammered home number two.
His joy turned to despair moments later after racing for the ball and pulling up with a hamstring injury.
He was immediately replaced by Miguel Almiron as Bruce took no chances with the midfielder.
At the end of the first half, Manquillo conceded a free-kick with Arnaut Danjuma stepping up and blazing over the ball.
United were good value for their 2-0 lead but survived an early scare in the second half after Solanke's effort hit the post before Josh King headed home - but thankfully for Newcastle the effort was struck off for an offside.
Newcastle hit back on 52 minutes when Saint-Maximin drilled in a low shot and forced Ramsdale to turn the ball around the post.
The Magpies then strengthened their grip on three points when Saint-Maximin slipped in Almiron from the left.
The Paraguay international then weaved into the box before clipping a sublime finish over Ramsdale and into the corner of the net.
The roars of delight from Bruce on the Newcastle bench could be heard from the South Stand at the Vitality Stadium with the Magpies sealing Premier League safety in style in Dorset.
On the hour mark though the Cherries warned they were still capable of making life uncomfortable for the visitors when David Brooks clipped the bar with a stinging shot.
Bruce then started to make changes as he started to think about Sunday's clash with West Ham at St James' Park.
Andy Carroll and Valentino Lazaro came on after the hour mark while Isaac Hayden and DeAndre Yedlin also arrived on the scene.
Lazaro added a fourth with 13 minutes left after Newcastle had initially lost the ball through Nabil Bentaleb.
But Hayden won the ball back before slipping in Shelvey in the middle.
The former Liverpool man's perfect pass split the defence and beat the offside trap before on-loan Inter Milan winger Lazaro rounded the keeper and lashed home.
It should have been five on 79 minutes when Lazaro let fly before his shot crashed down off the crossbar, Hayden followed up but blazed over the top.
In stoppage time Shelvey laid the ball off for Carroll but his left-footed effort was pushed away by Ramsdale.
A late defensive mix-up in stoppage time allowed United old boy Dan Gosling to apply a scrappy finish to deny United a clean sheet.
Although, a 4-1 away win is nothing to be sniffed at for Newcastle who made it five games unbeaten in the Premier League.
