Brendan Rodgers comments on Eddie Howe, Newcastle United and the 4-0 friendly win | OneFootball

Brendan Rodgers watched on as his Celtic team won 4-0 against Newcastle United.

United with their first friendly of pre-season in front of fans.

For Celtic it was their fifth friendly before the real stuff starts.

As Newcastle United kick off their preparations for the new season, the home side concluding their, with the league season starting in only two weeks time north of the border.

Brendan Rodgers acknowledging that this was the case, on a day when individual errors from the visitors gave the home side plenty of help, plus the referee also helping out Celtic, giving a penalty at 0-0 despite Joe Willock making no contact with his opponent.

“I primarily focus on my own team but, two weeks ahead, you (Celtic) start that little bit earlier (than Newcastle).

“Newcastle will get there.

“They are obviously building up (to full fitness).

“It is great for a club like Newcastle United to come here.

“You have seen their support, it was absolutely incredible.

“It made for a great atmosphere in the stadium with nearly 50,000 here.”

Brendan Rodgers speaking after the match to Celtic TV:

“It was always going to be a really good exercise against a top team and top players.

“I thought the boys were very, very good.

“Naturally we’re after fitness and to develop that.

“But some of the football and the ideas we have been talking about and working on over the pre-season, we can see that and it was very impressive.

“What you have to do is be really good with the ball and be really technically good and that’s what we were.

“Technically, we were so good in the game and then found our little patterns and that’s when we got into good spaces.

“We saw last pre-season and obviously when you’re playing against a team from the English Premier League, you’re playing against one of the top teams, especially Newcastle – the size of the club and how they’ve been building with Eddie who’s done a brilliant job there, so you know you’re going to face a real stern test of all your qualities, and we saw that today.”

Final score:

Celtic 4 Newcastle 0

Newcastle team v Celtic:

Pope (Dubravka 46), Trippier (Krafth 46), Botman (Burn 46), Schar (Lascelles 46), Barnes (Gordon 46), Targett (Alex Murphy 46), Osula (Neave), Jacob Murphy (Elanga 46), Willock (White 46), Bruno (Tonali 46), Miley (Hernes 75)

Unused Subs:

Ruddy, Ashby, Munda

Newcastle United pre-season friendly schedule 2025/26

(Saturday 12 July – Newcastle 4 Carlisle 0 (Behind closed doors))

Saturday 19 July – Celtic 4 Newcastle 0

Sunday 27 July – Arsenal v Newcastle

Wednesday 30 July – Team K-League all stars v Newcastle

Sunday 3 August- Spurs v Newcastle

Friday 8 August – Newcastle v Espanyol

Saturday 9 August – Newcastle v Atletico Madrid

(Celtic 4 Newcastle 0 – Instant Newcastle United fan/writer reaction – Read HERE)