Newcastle United were unable to hit the heights required against Borussia Dortmund, but there was a special moment for one Toon player.
Eddie Howe took a depleted Toon squad to Germany, and it showed as the Magpies slumped to a 2-0 defeat to leave their Champions League hopes hanging by a thread.
The Newcastle boss had some very inexperienced players on his bench, with the likes of Ben Parkinson and Lucas De Bolle included. There was also an appearance from Lewis Miley, who was actually brought on for the final stages at Signal Iduna Park.
The 17-year-old replaced Joe Willock in the 80th minute, becoming the youngest ever player to represent Newcastle United in the Champions League.
While it was a difficult evening for Newcastle, it will be one that Miley never forgets, and Howe has praised the midfielder following his efforts against Dortmund.
Eddie Howe happy with Lewis Miley against Borussia Dortmund
Following the 2-0 defeat to Dortmund, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe spoke to the Athletic. He addressed Miley’s record-breaking cameo and complimented him on his performance.
“We haven’t seen a lot of him recently because he’s had glandular fever,” he said.
“But he’s very recently returned to training and I thought he did really well when he came on.
A great example of his temperament really for how he has, in a very difficult moment, shown his maturity and calmness on the ball. A great evening for him.”
More minutes coming for the Newcastle teenager
Given Newcastle’s midfield injuries and suspensions, it is great to see Miley back fit and available. It was just his second senior appearance of the season, having started the Carabao Cup win over Manchester City.
But Miley will likely feature in some capacity against Bournemouth on Saturday, as Newcastle are going to have even fewer midfield options available. Elliot Anderson is still going to be injured, while Sandro Tonali is banned for the rest of the season. On top of that, Bruno Guimaraes has a one-game suspension after getting booked against Arsenal.
Howe is therefore going to have to turn to Miley, and he could potentially even give the teenager his first ever Premier League start.
While Newcastle were not at their best on Tuesday night, Miley looked comfortable and confident. He was eager to get on the ball and try make things happen, despite the grand stage he found himself on.
That kind of temperament is what sets him apart, and it is why Howe will be willing to trust him more and more in the coming weeks and months.
Receive a digest of our best Newcastle content each week direct to your mailbox
