Newcastle United concluded their time away in Dubai on a high with a 5-0 win against Gulf United. The two sides played a behind closed doors friendly, per The Northern Echo.
The Toon’s opponents are managed by former Magpies man Steven Taylor. The ex-defender spoke well of the Magpies’ form and signings Eddie Howe made in the January transfer window.
Goals came from Allan Saint-Maximin and Dwight Gayle, who both bagged a brace. It was the first time the latter has found the net since a pre-season friendly with Norwich.
Joelinton also scored for the Magpies. The majority of the first team got game time, but neither Callum Wilson nor Kieran Trippier made an appearance. They will be expected back by the end of the month according to The Telegraph.
A productive spell away and a win could give Newcastle a lift after two defeats in a row
After their nine-game undefeated run, Newcastle lost their last two matches against Everton and Chelsea. Against the Blues, the Toon had a lot of positives to take away from it. They battled well and were unlucky not to get more in a 1-0 defeat.
However, their most recent loss to Everton was also 1-0, but the performance was very underwhelming. It was one of the worst Newcastle had put in for a while.
Not long after they flew to Dubai. The trip aimed to change up the training environment and also have more bonding time between the players.
It may have been against Gulf United, but a 5-0 win indicates a dominant performance. The Toon will need all the confidence they can get. They take on Spurs at the start of April away from home.
Since they moved into their new stadium, the Magpies haven’t lost at Tottenham’s home ground. They’ll be looking to continue that streak. But considering the recent form of the likes of Harry Kane, Newcastle know it’ll be a real challenge.
Receive a digest of our best Newcastle content each week direct to your mailbox
