Newcastle United return to Champions League action on Wednesday night as Eddie Howe takes on West Bromwich Albion.
The Magpies suffered defeat to Arsenal on Sunday, and Eddie Howe will want a response in the Champions League.
Newcastle head to Belgium to take on Union Saint-Gilloise, who beat PSV Eindhoven 3-1 away from home in their last European game.
USG are linked to Brighton and Hove Albion and will pose a major threat as Howe takes his side to Brussels.
Union Saint-Gilloise boss praises Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United
This season has started well for USG, as they sit six points clear at the top of the Belgian Pro League table after just nine games.
USG haven’t lost a single league game this season, and boss Sebastien Pocognoli is earning quite the reputation for himself in Belgium.
Pocognoli has now spoken about Newcastle ahead of Wednesday’s game and paid tribute to Howe’s side.
Speaking to RTBF in Belgium, Pocognoli has admitted being seriously impressed with the ‘intensity’ on show from the Magpies.
Pocognoli is anticipating a ‘physical battle’, but also praised Newcastle’s ‘enormous technical qualities’.
The Belgian boss is calling on his players to step up their level of performance, believing that they must be better than they were against PSV.
“I was impressed by their intensity,” said Pocognoli.
“They are a team that puts in a huge amount of effort, especially in their home games. We expect a physical battle without forgetting their enormous technical qualities.
“I think there are no secrets regarding their qualities. It will be up to us to be at their level to be competitive and to respond when Newcastle accelerates the game. We will have to be even more efficient than against PSV,” he added.
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Sebastien Pocognoli lost twice to Newcastle United as a player
Some may remember Pocognoli from his playing days with West Bromwich Albion as well as Brighton and Hove Albion.
Pocognoli played twice against Newcastle during his time in England and lost both games.
Newcastle beat Pocognoli’s West Brom 2-0 in 2014, with the left-back substituted at half-time due to injury.
Ayoze Perez and Fabrizio Coloccini were on the scoresheet for Newcastle on that day.
Pocognoli also came off the Brighton bench to face Newcastle in 2017, playing 18 minutes in a 2-1 Magpies win.
Now USG boss, Pocognoli will hope to avoid another defeat to Newcastle, but knows he faces a stern test against Eddie Howe’s side.
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