Newcastle United 4-1 Paris St-Germain: Eddie Howe's roar to victory over French champions - BBC Sport
Champions League - Group F
NewcastleNewcastle United4PSGParis Saint Germain1

Newcastle United 4-1 Paris St-Germain: Eddie Howe's roar to victory over French champions

By Phil McNultyChief football writer at St. James' Park
Dan Burn scores against PSG
Dan Burn scored Newcastle's second goal in a superb win over Paris St-Germain

Newcastle United welcomed Champions League football back to St James' Park in style as Paris St-Germain were overpowered in a highly charged atmosphere on Tyneside.

The French champions - including superstar Kylian Mbappe - found the atmosphere and intensity on and off the pitch just too much as Eddie Howe's side secured a richly deserved win in Newcastle's first home game in Europe's elite competition since a 2-0 defeat by Barcelona in March 2003.

The Toon Army had already transformed St James' Park into four walls of black and white even before Miguel Almiron sent them wild by giving them a 17th-minute lead after PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma could only palm out Alexander Isak's shot, as Marquinhos was punished for carelessly conceding possession.

It was to prove an eventful night for Italy keeper Donnarumma, who tried in vain to claw out Dan Burn's towering header six minutes before half-time. The ball had already crossed the line but Newcastle still had to wait for a video assistant referee check for offside before the celebrations could begin.

Donnarumma was a central figure again as Newcastle went three up five minutes after the break, the goalkeeper's poor attempt at a block allowing Sean Longstaff's powerful shot from an angle to creep in.

PSG's threats were rare but they did pull one back after 56 minutes through Lucas Hernandez's header - but this was Newcastle's night from start to finish.

Swiss centre-back Fabian Schar added the icing on the cake in stoppage time as he curled a stunning shot past Donnarumma from the edge of the box into the top corner to make it 4-1.

The three points, added to an opening draw away to AC Milan, mean Newcastle go top of Group F.

"We are really pleased. It was a brilliant effort from the players," Newcastle boss Eddie Howe told CBS.

"It was a different game. It was a cat and mouse between the two, we were trying to press them and they were trying to play through us.

"We were successful a couple of times which led to big goals for us, so I am delighted with the players commitment."

The night Tyneside was waiting for

Newcastle was alive with Champions League anticipation hours before kick-off as supporters flooded around St. James Park for the first game here in this competition for two decades.

When the draw was made, the meeting with Mbappe and PSG was ringed on the calendar as proof that Newcastle had returned to the big time.

And how the Toon Army relished this as their side delivered the performance and occasion they had craved to put themselves in a good position with four points from their opening two group games.

Tough tests lie ahead but on the evidence of the wall of noise and colour - well black and white - that unnerved PSG here, Newcastle will have no fears about any opposition who come to Tyneside.

"We made it as clear as we could. We wanted to be ourselves when we played AC Milan and we were not where we needed to be," Howe added.

"But I think that was expected with the three defeats previously to that game. I think we came here with a lot more confident mood. We wanted to be ourselves and then take the result whatever it is."

Newcastle tore into PSG from the first whistle, backed by a frenzied support, and once Almiron set them on their way after 17 minutes there was no looking back.

And how fitting it was that two local boys, Burn and Longstaff, were also on target on a night that will live long in the memory for every supporter who witnessed it.

And Schar's scorching finish was a perfect way to round off this glory night.

Borussia Dortmund, who drew 0-0 with AC Milan elsewhere on Wednesday, are the next visitors to Tyneside on 25 October - after this Newcastle and their supporters can hardly wait.

Mbappe threat snuffed out

Mbappe was the man Newcastle's fans feared, his early touches greeted with a cacophony of jeering, which he met by almost creating an early goal for Ousmane Dembele, who volleyed a great chance wide.

That was just about it for the world-class forward, who cut a frustrated and marginalised figure for the rest of the night, often outnumbered by Newcastle defenders and not on the same wavelength of his PSG team-mates on a desperately poor night for Luis Enrique's side.

Mbappe is obviously the centrepiece of PSG's plans but for how long with Real Madrid long rumoured to be his next destination? This is a side of parts that in no way resembles a team of quality, and they were brutally exposed by Newcastle.

Player of the match

BurnDan Burn

with an average of 8.59

Newcastle United

  1. Squad number33Player nameBurn
    Average rating

    8.59

  2. Squad number24Player nameAlmirón
    Average rating

    8.58

  3. Squad number39Player nameBruno Guimarães
    Average rating

    8.47

  4. Squad number2Player nameTrippier
    Average rating

    8.41

  5. Squad number5Player nameSchär
    Average rating

    8.37

  6. Squad number14Player nameIsak
    Average rating

    8.27

  7. Squad number8Player nameTonali
    Average rating

    8.21

  8. Squad number36Player nameS Longstaff
    Average rating

    8.21

  9. Squad number10Player nameGordon
    Average rating

    8.17

  10. Squad number6Player nameLascelles
    Average rating

    8.16

  11. Squad number32Player nameAnderson
    Average rating

    8.07

  12. Squad number23Player nameMurphy
    Average rating

    7.95

  13. Squad number22Player namePope
    Average rating

    7.95

  14. Squad number13Player nameTargett
    Average rating

    7.93

Paris Saint Germain

  1. Squad number29Player nameBarcola
    Average rating

    3.76

  2. Squad number21Player nameHernández
    Average rating

    3.72

  3. Squad number33Player nameZaïre-Emery
    Average rating

    3.69

  4. Squad number10Player nameDembélé
    Average rating

    3.61

  5. Squad number17Player nameVitinha
    Average rating

    3.57

  6. Squad number2Player nameHakimi
    Average rating

    3.51

  7. Squad number99Player nameG Donnarumma
    Average rating

    3.48

  8. Squad number9Player nameGonçalo Ramos
    Average rating

    3.43

  9. Squad number7Player nameMbappé
    Average rating

    3.36

  10. Squad number23Player nameKolo Muani
    Average rating

    3.32

  11. Squad number5Player nameMarquinhos
    Average rating

    3.32

  12. Squad number37Player nameSkriniar
    Average rating

    3.28

  13. Squad number4Player nameUgarte
    Average rating

    3.22

Line-ups

Newcastle

Formation 4-3-3

  • 22PopeBooked at 87mins
  • 2Trippier
  • 6Lascelles
  • 5Schär
  • 33Burn
  • 36S Longstaff
  • 39Bruno GuimarãesBooked at 45mins
  • 8TonaliSubstituted forAndersonat 65'minutes
  • 24AlmirónSubstituted forMurphyat 71'minutes
  • 14Isak
  • 10GordonBooked at 70minsSubstituted forTargettat 90+3'minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Dúbravka
  • 3Dummett
  • 13Targett
  • 18Karius
  • 20Hall
  • 21Livramento
  • 23Murphy
  • 32Anderson
  • 47Miley

PSG

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 99G Donnarumma
  • 2HakimiBooked at 43mins
  • 5Marquinhos
  • 37Skriniar
  • 21HernándezBooked at 38mins
  • 4UgarteSubstituted forVitinhaat 64'minutes
  • 33Zaïre-EmeryBooked at 81mins
  • 10DembéléBooked at 67mins
  • 7Mbappé
  • 23Kolo MuaniSubstituted forBarcolaat 57'minutes
  • 9Gonçalo Ramos

Substitutes

  • 1Navas
  • 8Ruiz
  • 15Danilo
  • 17Vitinha
  • 26Mukiele
  • 28Soler
  • 29Barcola
  • 80Tenas
Referee:
István Kovács
Attendance:
52,009

Match Stats

Home TeamNewcastleAway TeamPSG
Possession
Home27%
Away73%
Shots
Home12
Away11
Shots on Target
Home8
Away2
Corners
Home1
Away8
Fouls
Home16
Away9

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Newcastle United 4, Paris Saint Germain 1.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Newcastle United 4, Paris Saint Germain 1.

  3. Post update

    Attempt missed. Vitinha (Paris Saint Germain) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Achraf Hakimi.

  4. Post update

    Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint Germain) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  5. Post update

    Foul by Jacob Murphy (Newcastle United).

  6. Substitution

    Substitution, Newcastle United. Matt Targett replaces Anthony Gordon.

  7. Post update

    Corner, Paris Saint Germain. Conceded by Dan Burn.

  8. Goal!

    Goal! Newcastle United 4, Paris Saint Germain 1. Fabian Schär (Newcastle United) right footed shot from outside the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Jacob Murphy.

  9. Post update

    Foul by Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint Germain).

  10. Post update

    Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  11. Booking

    Nick Pope (Newcastle United) is shown the yellow card.

  12. Post update

    Attempt missed. Vitinha (Paris Saint Germain) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Kylian Mbappé.

  13. Post update

    Attempt missed. Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint Germain) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Bradley Barcola.

  14. Post update

    Lucas Hernández (Paris Saint Germain) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  15. Post update

    Foul by Jacob Murphy (Newcastle United).

  16. Post update

    Attempt saved. Alexander Isak (Newcastle United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Sean Longstaff.

  17. Post update

    Attempt saved. Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle United) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Kieran Trippier with a cross.

  18. Booking

    Warren Zaïre-Emery (Paris Saint Germain) is shown the yellow card.

  19. Post update

    Foul by Warren Zaïre-Emery (Paris Saint Germain).

  20. Post update

    Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

How to follow Newcastle on the BBC bannerNewcastle banner footer

Comments

Join the conversation

These comments are now closed.

1557 comments