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Newcastle complete cruise into Champions League last 16

Newcastle United completed their stroll into the Champions League last 16 with a 3-2 win over Qarabag on Tuesday to progress 9-3 on aggregate over the Azeri champions.

The Magpies will make up a six-strong contingent of English sides in the last 16 alongside Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham.

A tie that involved an over 5,000-mile (8,000-kilometre) round trip for both sides was killed off inside 45 minutes last week as Newcastle led 5-0 at half-time on their way to a 6-1 rout.

That allowed Eddie Howe to heavily rotate his side, with four-goal hero from the first leg, Anthony Gordon, among those left on the bench.

But he was still disappointed with how Newcastle handled the second half after another fast start as they added to their lead twice inside the opening six minutes of the match.

Sandro Tonali fired in the rebound after Dan Burn’s shot was saved, before Joelinton stroked in Harvey Barnes’ cross.

“I think if you look at the score over the two legs, it’s been fantastic from the players, even though today feels like a bit of a hollow win for us,” said Howe.

“I thought at 2-0 we probably came off the pedal. We didn’t intend to do that, but it was sort of the natural reaction.

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“In the second half, the game became end-to-end, which, for us, was a real shame. For one, we expended too much energy, and it meant we didn’t put pressure on their goal.”

Qarabag had taken the scalps of Benfica and Eintracht Frankfurt in the league phase to make the play-off round, and at least salvaged some pride with two goals in the second period.

Camilo Duran outpaced Burn to pull a goal back before the Newcastle defender was penalised for handball inside the box.

Aaron Ramsdale saved Marko Jankovic’s penalty, but Elvin Jafarguliyev netted the rebound.

In between the visitors’ two goals, Sven Botman powered in a header from a corner.

That took the tally of goals conceded by Qarabag in the Champions League to 30 — a single-season record in the competition.

A much tougher test lies ahead of Newcastle next month when they will take on either Barcelona or Chelsea in the last 16.

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Manchester City brush aside Newcastle to reach League Cup final

Manchester City will face Arsenal in the League Cup final after ending Newcastle’s reign as holders with a first-half blitz in their 3-1 victory on Wednesday.

Pep Guardiola’s side were already in pole position after winning the semi-final first leg on Tyneside in January and they finished the job in ruthless fashion at the Etihad Stadium.

Omar Marmoush struck twice in the first half of the second leg before Tijjani Reijnders put the result beyond doubt.

Anthony Elanga reduced the deficit after the interval, but City’s 5-1 aggregate win sent them back to the League Cup showpiece for the first time since 2021.

City’s final date with Arsenal is set for March 22 at Wembley after the Premier League leaders knocked out Chelsea on Tuesday.

Reaching the final was a welcome tonic for Guardiola following the frustration of blowing a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw at Tottenham on Sunday that delivered a major blow to their title challenge.

With a crucial trip to Liverpool looming this weekend, City trail Arsenal by six points in the Premier League title race.

The League Cup was the first silverware of Guardiola’s City reign when they beat Arsenal in the 2018 final, with current Gunners boss Mikel Arteta then working as the Spaniard’s assistant.

City went on to win the competition for the following three years, but haven’t lifted the League Cup since 2021.

“We will travel to London again, they will wait for us there. They never travel to the north (for finals) but I am really happy to be back. Five (League Cup) finals in 10 years is a big milestone,” Guardiola said.

“It will be good. You have to live this experience. The first title we won here was in the League Cup.

“When you win something, it helps to win more. It’s a pleasure to play against Arsenal, the best team right now in Europe and maybe the world.”

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe added: “Really annoyed with the first half display. We pride ourselves on being really organised and tactically we want to be able to handle any problem the opposition gives us.

“That first half we weren’t good enough individually and our duels were off and it gave us huge problems.”

Guardiola used sarcasm and statistics this week to defend City against claims the club’s success has been due to the financial muscle of their Abu Dhabi-based owners.

The City manager pointed out six English clubs have spent more than his side over the past five years, but he knows he will never win over the critics.

Guardiola’s only way to silence the outside noise — and mounting suggestions that City are a team in decline — is with silverware.

And after finishing last season without a trophy for the first time in eight years, Guardiola would love to end City’s barren spell at Arsenal’s expense.

Marmoush put City ahead with a stroke of luck in the seventh minute.

He raced into the Newcastle penalty area and when Dan Burn made a last-ditch tackle, the ball bounced off the Egypt forward and looped into the net.

James Trafford preserved City’s lead, saving from Joe Willock and Anthony Gordon in quick succession.

Marmoush struck for the second time in the 29th minute, heading home from virtually on the goal-line after Kieran Trippier made a hash of clearing Antoine Semenyo’s cross.

That was the culmination of an incisive City counter-attack and they pulled Newcastle apart again with another rapid raid in the 32nd minute.

Reijnders led the break, picking out Semenyo and racing into the area to finish the Ghanaian’s return pass with a clinical low drive from 12 yards.

City barely got out of first gear in the second half and Elanga got one back in the 62nd minute, curling into the far corner after slaloming through the defence.

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Dorgu scores winner for depleted Manchester United against Newcastle

Patrick Dorgu scored his first Manchester United goal to help the depleted Red Devils to a 1-0 win over Newcastle to propel Ruben Amorim’s men up to fifth in the Premier League.

Short of captain Bruno Fernandes due to injury, plus the absence of Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo due to the Africa Cup of Nations, Amorim’s change of role for Dorgu paid dividends.

The Danish international connected sweetly with a looping ball on his left foot for the only goal to compound Newcastle’s miserable away form despite the visitors dominating the second half.

A first home win in two months takes United level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea, while Newcastle remain down in 11th.

After a series of promising performances went without reward in recent weeks, this time United got over the line despite having to mount a rearguard action to secure just a second clean sheet of the season.

Amorim responded to the loss of Fernandes by finally switching from his preferred 3-4-3 system to a back four, with Dorgu thrust into a more attacking role on the right side of a three behind Benjamin Sesko up front.

Dorgu duly delivered his first goal for United since joining from Lecce nearly a year ago.

Diogo Dalot’s cross was cleared high into the air before the 21-year-old volleyed past Aaron Ramsdale on 24 minutes.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe himself made an early formation change to adapt to a fast start from United.

But Howe has struggled all season for answers to the Magpies’ woeful form on the road.

Newcastle have won just twice in 12 games away from Tyneside in all competitions.

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Ramsdale denied Dorgu a second at the end of another dangerous United counter-attack before half-time.

Yet, Amorim’s forward options were dealt another blow when Mason Mount did not reappear for the second half.

Jack Fletcher, son of former United midfielder Darren Fletcher, was introduced for his first appearance at Old Trafford.

Newcastle sensed their opportunity as they penned the home side inside their own half for practically the entire second half without reward.

Amorim tinkered with his system once more to try and turn the tide, but his substitution of Casemiro left the Brazilian befuddled.

Despite barely being able to escape their own half, United still had two huge chances to kill the game off.

Sesko smashed off the bar from a narrow angle before Dalot blazed over after being picked out by Lisandro Martinez’s free-kick.

Lewis Hall crashed a strike off the crossbar with Newcastle’s best effort.

Anthony Gordon and Lewis Miley both fired wastefully high over the bar after intricate play to finally create some space inside the United box.

But Newcastle joined local rivals Sunderland as the only sides to not score against United this season in the latest blow to their hopes of a return to the Champions League next year.

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Newcastle sink Athletic Bilbao to extend Champions League winning run

Newcastle secured a third successive Champions League win as Dan Burn’s thunderous header inspired a cathartic 2-0 victory against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday.

Burn struck in eye-catching style in the first half at St James’ Park, and Joelinton netted after the interval to wrap up Newcastle’s fifth successive home win in all competitions.

Newcastle’s dismal 3-1 defeat at lowly West Ham on Sunday left the Magpies languishing in 13th place in the Premier League and prompted a painful bout of soul-searching on Tyneside.

But although they have struggled domestically, Eddie Howe’s side have three wins from four games in the Champions League this season, with their only loss coming in the opening match against Barcelona.

Ahead of trips to Marseille and Bayer Leverkusen in their next two league phase fixtures, sixth-placed Newcastle are firmly in the hunt to secure the top-eight place that guarantees automatic qualification for the last 16.

Howe will hope Newcastle’s European success serves as a springboard for a winning run in the Premier League, starting at Brentford on Sunday.

“Really pleased with today. It was an important response to West Ham. I don’t think it was us at our best, but we’re in a good position now in this competition,” Howe said.

“It’s been good to have a game off the back of West Ham. We’ve put that away now. But it’s a bigger test when you return to the Premier League.”

Saluting Burn’s goal, Howe said it reminded him of the defender’s header in last season’s League Cup final win against Liverpool.

“It was very reminiscent of the cup final. It was from a distance. It was a training ground move, so well done to all the coaches involved in that,” he said.

“Across the board, it’s about consistency in our performance wherever we play. Now we go away in the Champions League. Marseille will be incredibly difficult.”

Newcastle’s lacklustre loss at West Ham had sparked accusations that Howe’s team are developing a habit of playing down to the level of their opponents.

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Burn added to that perception this week when he said, “everybody knows we will turn up” against Bilbao.

The England centre-back was true to his word as he put Newcastle ahead in the 11th minute.

Kieran Trippier’s free-kick picked out Burn in space in the penalty area, and he punished Bilbao’s slack marking with a superb header that curled into the far corner from 10 yards.

Even legendary Newcastle striker Alan Shearer, watching with a broad grin in the stands, would have been proud of such a sublime finish.

Bilbao briefly mounted a determined response to that blow and twice came close to drawing level as sloppy Newcastle conceded possession too easily.

Unai Gomez raced clear of the flat-footed Newcastle defence and fired against the near post.

With Newcastle on the ropes, Adama Boiro lashed a ferocious strike off the woodwork from 18 yards.

Howe’s men squandered a chance to increase their lead when Nick Woltemade climbed highest for a header that whistled wide from Harvey Barnes’ cross.

Newcastle suffered a blow when England winger Anthony Gordon limped off with a recurrence of a hip injury late in the first half.

But they ignored that setback to double their advantage in the 49th minute.

Barnes cleverly worked space on the left side of the Bilbao area and lofted a cross into the six-yard box, where Joelinton thumped his header past Unai Simon for his first goal in nine games.

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Marcus Rashford bags brace to help Barcelona defeat Newcastle

Marcus Rashford scored his first goals for Barcelona as the England forward’s brilliant brace inspired a 2-1 win against Newcastle in the Champions League on Thursday.

Rashford struck twice in the space of nine minutes in the second half at St James’ Park to make a memorable return to England following his loan move from Manchester United in July.

The 27-year-old’s first goals in the Champions League since 2021 will have made for painful viewing for United fans, whose team have no European football this season and are already mired in a dismal start to the Premier League campaign.

Anthony Gordon got one back for Newcastle in the closing stages, but it was too late to salvage a point in their Champions League group phase opener.

Rashford fell out of favour with United boss Ruben Amorim last season and was sent on loan to Aston Villa in the second half of the campaign before being exiled to Barcelona for the whole of this term.

Once feted as the future of English football after emerging from United’s youth academy as a precocious teenager, Rashford’s career has dipped badly in recent years amid claims he is no longer focused on his career.

But Rashford’s vibrant performance on Tyneside suggested he could be about to embark on a long-awaited renaissance with Barcelona.

“It’s an amazing experience playing for Barcelona. I’ve always been a huge admirer of the club. We just want to win as much as possible,” Rashford said.

“I’m full of excitement. I’m very motivated and determined. The quality we have in the team excites me.

“It’s so refreshing to play with these players. It’s a new way of football, but I’m enjoying it all and it’s making me a better player.”

Off to a solid start in La Liga with three wins from four games, Barcelona were without Spain forward Lamine Yamal, who was sidelined for Sunday’s 6-0 victory against Valencia with a groin injury.

But Rashford’s double ensured Yamal wasn’t missed by Hansi Flick’s team.

“I’m happy for Marcus. We have a lot of good players and he’s one,” Flick said.

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“These two goals will help a lot to get Marcus to the next step. It’s so important he has the confidence and feels OK. These goals are unbelievable for him for the next steps.”

Beaten by Inter Milan in last season’s Champions League semi-finals, Barcelona haven’t reached the final since they last lifted the trophy in 2015.

But the five-time European champions are expected to be among the leading contenders this season, and this was a strong start to their challenge.

The defeat punctured Newcastle’s hopes of making a strong start on their return to the Champions League after they failed to make it out of the group stage in 2023-24.

“It was a good performance, but these nights are only magical for us if we win,” Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said.

“The chances were there in the first half. Against teams like this you won’t get many. We got punished.”

Newcastle enjoyed one of the greatest nights in their history when Faustino Asprilla’s hat-trick inspired a 3-2 Champions League group stage win against Barcelona in September 1997.

Almost 28 years to the day since that remarkable evening at St James’ Park, Asprilla jetted in from Colombia to watch Newcastle’s first clash with Barcelona since 2003, but it was Rashford who stole the spotlight.

Barcelona were far more effective after the interval and took the lead in the 58th minute.

Jules Kounde whipped his cross into the area, and Rashford easily eluded Fabian Schar to bury a powerful header past Newcastle keeper Nick Pope from 12 yards.

Rashford doubled Barcelona’s advantage in the 67th minute in stunning style.

Taking possession 25 yards from goal, Rashford glided past Sandro Tonali and unleashed a fierce strike that left Pope grasping at thin air as it flashed into the top corner.

Gordon set up a tense finale when he met Jacob Murphy’s low cross with a clinical close-range finish in the 90th minute, but Barcelona held firm.

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Liverpool seal £125m record deal for Newcastle’s Alexander Isak

Liverpool have reportedly agreed a British record fee of £125 million ($169 million) to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle, with the deal set to be completed on a frantic final day of the summer transfer window.

The Sweden striker is understood to have arrived at the club’s training ground on Monday, with a protracted saga nearing an end.

With the Premier League window due to shut at 1800 GMT, there are a number of big deals yet to be done as clubs scramble to boost their squads.

Sky Sports reported that Newcastle have agreed a deal to sign Brentford forward Yoane Wissa, while Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma is set for a move to Manchester City after being told he was surplus to requirements at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

Manchester United, meanwhile, have been heavily linked with Aston Villa’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez as they seek a solution to their goalkeeping crisis.

But all eyes will be on the expected finalization of Isak’s move to Liverpool.

The Anfield club had a £110 million offer rejected last month, and since then, the 25-year-old has not trained with or played for Newcastle.

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He is set to become Liverpool’s eighth first-team signing of the summer window, marking the second time they have broken their own transfer record following the capture of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for an initial fee of £100 million.

The club’s outlay now stands at an eye-watering figure of around £416 million, though there have also been significant departures, including Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Arne Slot’s side, who beat Arsenal 1-0 on Sunday to maintain their perfect Premier League record this season, are also reportedly chasing Crystal Palace and England defender Marc Guehi.

Newcastle last week signed German international striker Nick Woltemade for a club-record fee, reportedly worth up to £69 million.

That paved the way for the potential departure of Isak, who scored 27 goals for Eddie Howe’s team in all competitions last season.

Wissa, who has already been the subject of bids from Newcastle, urged Brentford to “keep their word” and allow him to leave before the transfer deadline on Sunday.

Now it appears the DR Congo forward, who scored 19 Premier League goals last season, has his wish, giving Saudi-owned Newcastle extra firepower as they prepare for their Champions League campaign.

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Liverpool beat 10-man Newcastle 3-2 in Premier League thriller

Liverpool needed a 100th-minute winner from 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha to beat Newcastle 3-2, after blowing a two-goal lead against 10 men, in a Premier League thriller on Monday.

Ryan Gravenberch and long-time Newcastle target Hugo Ekitike struck for the English champions, either side of Anthony Gordon’s red card for a wild lunge on Virgil van Dijk.

But amid a frenzied atmosphere at St. James’ Park, the Magpies battled back through Bruno Guimaraes and William Osula only to be denied by teenage sensation Ngumoha, who became the youngest goalscorer in Liverpool’s history.

“This is also what makes the Premier League special,” said Liverpool manager Arne Slot.

“Maybe it wasn’t the best game in terms of tactics or in terms of playing football, but I think every fan everywhere around the world enjoyed watching this game of football.”

Victory takes Liverpool level on maximum points from two games with Tottenham and title rivals Arsenal, who travel to Anfield on Sunday.

Newcastle remain without a win as they miss their wantaway talisman, Alexander Isak.

The Swedish striker scored the winner when the sides last met in the League Cup final in March as Newcastle lifted their first domestic trophy for 70 years.

But Isak is yet to feature for Eddie Howe’s men this season as he seeks an exit from Tyneside.

Liverpool are the likely destination if Isak does leave before the transfer window closes in a week’s time.

The Reds have reportedly had one bid of £110 million ($149 million) rejected as Newcastle want a British transfer record of £150 million.

Adding to the Magpies’ frustration is the fact that the Premier League champions also won the race to sign Ekitike, who Newcastle had lined up as a potential Isak replacement.

After failing to land a number of striker targets in the transfer market, Newcastle’s lack of a clinical number nine was exposed as they failed to break down 10-man Aston Villa in a 0-0 draw to begin their season last weekend.

And it cost them again during a dominant opening 30 minutes.

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Roared on by a ferocious capacity crowd of over 50,000, Newcastle penned Liverpool inside their own half without finding the final finish.

Instead, it was the visitors who took the lead completely against the run of play on 35 minutes.

Gravenberch took aim from well outside the area and powered an inch-perfect shot off the inside of the post.

It got even worse for Newcastle before the break as Gordon took out his frustration by charging late into Van Dijk and was dismissed after a VAR review showed his studs had raked down the Dutch defender’s Achilles.

Slot had not even taken his seat for the second half by the time his side doubled their lead 20 seconds in.

Ekitike scored two goals in as many Premier League games with a composed side-footed finish from Cody Gakpo’s pass.

Newcastle’s sense of injustice only increased when Ibrahima Konate escaped a second yellow card moments later for a push on Harvey Barnes.

But this time, the home players and crowd channelled their anger more positively.

Minutes after being booked for taking his protests too far, a fired-up Guimaraes outmuscled Milos Kerkez to head in at the back post.

Liverpool struggled to make their man advantage count for the entirety of the second half and were made to pay.

Despite his lack of forward options, Howe has been reluctant to field Osula, but the young Dane netted just his second Premier League goal when he bundled the ball beyond Alisson Becker from a Dan Burn flick-on.

Newcastle continued to charge forward in search of a memorable winner, only to be picked out by Liverpool’s attacking quality.

Mohamed Salah’s pass was brilliantly dummied by Dominik Szoboszlai to leave Ngumoha unmarked to curl calmly into the far corner just days before his 17th birthday.

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Newcastle sign Germany defender Malick Thiaw from AC Milan

Germany international defender Malick Thiaw on Tuesday completed a permanent move to Premier League club Newcastle from AC Milan.

The 24-year-old centre-back agreed a long-term deal for an undisclosed fee reported to be worth an initial 35 million euros ($40 million).

“I’m really excited to join this massive club. I can’t wait to start training and to get to know my new teammates and all the staff,” said Thiaw.

“The gaffer (Eddie Howe) showed me his vision and what he wants to do with me as a player and the club itself, which is really exciting.

“I think Newcastle speaks for itself. It’s a great club, a big club with passionate fans who I can’t wait to see at St James’ Park.”

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Thiaw — capped three times for Germany — joined AC Milan from Schalke 04 in 2022 and made 85 appearances in all competitions during his three years at the Serie A club.

Malick Thiaw becomes Newcastle’s third summer signing after Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga and Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

“We’re really pleased to have Malick on board,” said manager Howe.

“He’s a player I’ve admired for a long time and somebody who will add real quality to our defensive options.

“Malick is still young but brings valuable experience of Champions League football, as well as playing in the Bundesliga and Serie A, which is a major positive for us as we return to Europe this season.”

Newcastle finished fifth in the Premier League last season and open their latest campaign at Aston Villa on Saturday.

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Holders Manchester United knocked out of League Cup 3-0 by Newcastle

Manchester United’s defence of the League Cup came to a limp end in a 3-0 home defeat by Newcastle on Wednesday as Arsenal were well-beaten 3-1 at West Ham.

In a repeat of last year’s League Cup final, which Erik ten Hag’s men won 2-0, both managers named much-changed sides at Old Trafford.

But it was Newcastle’s strength in depth that showed as United slumped to an eighth defeat in 15 games in all competitions this season — their worst start to any campaign since 1962/63.

“This is not good enough. We have to take responsibility, I have to take responsibility,” said Ten Hag.

“I feel sorry for the fans, it is below our standards and we have to put it right.”

Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall have had to wait for their chance to shine since signing for the Magpies but the young full-backs played a huge role as Eddie Howe’s side got revenge for defeat at Wembley in February.

Livramento’s surging run set up Miguel Almiron to open the scoring on 28 minutes.

Chelsea loanee Hall then volleyed home a brilliant effort from the edge of the box just eight minutes later.

Joe Willock’s solo run and stunning finish then drew the sting from any chance of a United fightback on the hour mark.

After eliminating both Manchester City and Manchester United from the League Cup, Newcastle’s reward is another tough draw away to Chelsea in the last eight.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was left to rue leaving Declan Rice out on his return to the London Stadium, with the England international alongside Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and William Saliba on a star-studded Gunners’ bench.

Aaron Ramsdale was handed a rare start since he was dropped in favour of David Raya, but it was a night to forget for the Arsenal goalkeeper.

Ben White beat Ramsdale to Jarrod Bowen’s dangerous in-swinging corner but could only head into his own net after 16 minutes.

Mohammed Kudus made it 2-0 in 50 minutes with a brilliant touch and low finish from Nayef Aguerd’s long ball forward.

Rice was then introduced to a mixed response from the West Ham faithful.

But any hope of an Arsenal revival was quashed by Bowen’s strike from the edge of the box that Ramsdale should have done better to keep out.

“I am responsible for that,” said Arteta. “We’re out of the cup and we wanted to play a very different game.”

Odegaard grabbed a consolation deep into stoppage time, but it was too little, too late as Arsenal’s 30-year wait to win the League Cup goes on.

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Newcastle unveils green and white color kit in resemblance to Saudi Arabia

NEW CASTLE: English Premier League’s club Newcastle United Football Club have revealed their next season’s green and white third kit showing a stark resemblance to the kit worn by Saudi Arabia National team.

The kit unveiled by Newcastle features green trim on both the neck and sleeves on a white shirt along with a green crest and kit maker’s badge also in green.

Saudi Arabia-led Public Investment Fund (PIF) acquired Newcastle for £300 million in October. At the time of purchase, the Premier League asserted that it had “legally binding assurances” that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will not control the club.

Earlier, when the photos of a similar kit were leaked in May, it lead to widespread criticism for its affinity toward Saudi Arabia while Amnesty International claimed it to be “sportswashing” by the Saudi state.

Meanwhile, the club has also revealed its traditional black and white home kit. However, the away jersey for the upcoming season is yet to be released.

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