Newcastle: PSG were 'taken aback' by one thing they saw at St James' Park

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·5 October 2023

Newcastle: PSG were 'taken aback' by one thing they saw at St James' Park

Newcastle United ended their wait for a Champions League win by sealing a convincing victory over Paris Saint-Germain at St James' Park.
Miguel Almiron, Dan Burn, Sean Longstaff and Fabian Schar got their names on the scoresheet as a raucous crowd celebrated a 4-1 triumph.
Eddie Howe's side will welcome Borussia Dortmund to Tyneside for their third match of the group stage after the international break.

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Newcastle United grabbed their first win of the Champions League group stage by hammering Paris Saint-Germain and journalist Ben Jacobs, who was in attendance at St James' Park, has told GIVEMESPORT the 'key aspect' behind the Magpies' success.

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Having gone into the clash with the Ligue 1 title holders following a goalless draw with AC Milan last month, Eddie Howe's side were able to enjoy a memorable night as they put Kylian Mbappe and his teammates to the sword with a 4-1 victory on Tyneside.

According to The Guardian, Newcastle chief Howe has revealed he hopes his side have 'a lot of special nights' to come after goals from Miguel Almiron, Dan Burn, Sean Longstaff and Fabian Schar allowed his side to seal their first Champions League win at St James' Park for 20 years.

Although the French outfit broke through their hosts' rearguard thanks to Lucas Hernandez grabbing his first goal of the season, Luis Enrique's side had no answers as the Magpies continuously created presentable opportunities on what proved to be a special night for the Toon Army.

Newcastle also managed to frustrate PSG danger-man Mbappe, with him only being handed a 6.1 match rating by WhoScored as he struggled to cause problems for the likes of Kieran Trippier and Jamaal Lascelles.

In his post-match press conference, Howe admitted he hopes the victory will result in belief increasing within the dressing room that they can progress in the Champions League.

PSG 'taken aback by atmosphere' at St James' Park - Ben Jacobs

Jacobs believes the backing from the Newcastle crowd gave the hosts the edge as they looked to take the game to PSG on Wednesday, which led to Enrique's charges finding it difficult to perform to their best.

The respected journalist feels making St James' Park a fortress and the continued backing from the Toon Army will be a key factor as Howe looks to lead the Magpies deeper into the competition.

Jacobs told GIVEMESPORT:

"One thing that struck me at St James' Park, as I found many times when I've been there but particularly last night, was the atmosphere. "The noise levels were through the roof, flags were waving and there was a buzz about the entire city hours and days before the game all the way through the night after it. "I think that PSG, even though they're an accomplished side that have played in many big arenas, were taken aback by that atmosphere. That shows you that St James' Park is a really key aspect of Newcastle and their success."

Dortmund next Newcastle challenge in quest for knockout stage

Newcastle will fancy their chances against a Borussia Dortmund side which has averaged the lowest number of shots on target per game, according to WhoScored, since the Champions League group stage got underway.

The Bundesliga giants, who have picked up just one point from their opening two matches against PSG and AC Milan, will make the trip to St James' Park on October 25.

Donyell Malen is proving to be a serious threat in the final third of the pitch during the early stages of the season, having found the back of the net four times to put himself at the top of the Dortmund goalscoring charts, and Howe will be hoping to have Sven Botman back in contention.

Reputable reporter Dean Jones recently told GIVEMESPORT that Newcastle are more difficult for opponents to break down when the Dutchman is in the starting line-up, while his unavailability for the clash with PSG was initially a serious concern.

Botman is in a race against time to return from the sidelines as Howe has confirmed the central defender will remain on the sidelines until after the international break, meaning he will miss this weekend's trip to West Ham United.

Newcastle identify £80k-a-week Premier League defender as top target

Howe already appears to have set his sights on bolstering his options when the transfer window reopens in January as, according to Football Insider, Crystal Palace central defender Joachim Andersen remains one of Newcastle's top targets despite being unable to get a deal over the line during the summer.

The report suggests the Denmark international, who is on a contract worth £80,000-per-week at Selhurst Park, is being closely monitored by the Magpies ahead of a fresh bid potentially being submitted at the turn of the year.

Andersen is a key cog in Palace's backline, having failed to miss a single minute of the Premier League campaign so far, while he grabbed his second goal of the season in the victory over Manchester United last weekend.

The 27-year-old has plenty of top flight experience, thanks to making 104 appearances in the competition, but Howe will have his work cut out when it comes to attempting to persuade the south Londoners to sanction his exit.