Newcastle United’s good form in the Champions League continued with a 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao but major question marks remain.
Dan Burn and Joelinton scored the goals either side of half time as Newcastle United beat Athletic Bilbao 2-0 at St James’ Park to record their third consecutive victory on Europe’s grandest stage.
Eddie Howe’s side did not play particularly well, it must be said. Both goals were well worked and Burn’s header will live long in the memory, but Newcastle were lucky the Basque side did not punish their sloppy play in the first half.
Any win in the Champions League is not to be sniffed at but it would be foolish to suggest this team have definitely turned a corner just yet.
Here are five things Geordie Boot Boys learned…
Champions League continues to paper over the cracks this season
This game gave little indication about Newcastle’s upcoming Premier League match at Brentford.
Rarely have this team been questioned for their performances under the lights at home, it’s when the fixture list doesn’t get the juices flowing quite as much that problems emerge.
Newcastle were not brilliant and while three points are a positive, they didn’t show enough to suddenly suggest they can turn their pitiful away form around at Brentford on Sunday.
Bad news for Nick Woltemade
Sadly for Nick Woltemade, it looks like he might have to start once again on Sunday. Yoane Wissa remains injured, while William Osula might have joined him on the treatment table.
Osula had to pull out of Newcastle’s game with Athletic Bilbao due to an ankle injury. That leaves Howe short on options and Woltemade, who has looked fatigued of late, has little support.
The German produced some nice touches as ever here but should have scored with a header in the first half.
Lewis Hall offers Newcastle United a major boost
Burn was forced off in the second half and was duly replaced by the returning Lewis Hall.
When called upon, Hall was impressive. He brought energy into the team and drove forward with the ball, while doing his job defensively.
Newcastle have endured something of a full-back crisis of late. Though Burn has performed well at times, having to play him there is clearly not ideal.
Thankfully, Hall looked like he hadn’t missed a beat upon his return.
Eddie Howe sticks by his players
Howe named largely the same team who put in a dreadful performance against West Ham on Sunday. The only change saw Harvey Barnes replace Jacob Murphy, and that may well have been enforced given Howe’s comments on an illness going through the camp during his pre-match press conference.
To say he was rewarded would be too much. Newcastle didn’t really blow their opposition away but must be given credit for doing what they needed to.
Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Trippier set to break Newcastle United record
Both Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Trippier moved level with Alan Shearer’s record by making their tenth Champions League start for Newcastle United.
Andy O’Brien, Andy Griffin and Gary Speed are the only outfield players to have appeared 11 times for Newcastle in Europe’s elite club competition.
Given just how important Trippier and Guimaraes are to this team, it seems almost certain they will break the outfield appearance record over the course of this campaign.
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