Even Jose Mourinho couldn’t assist however throw an arm round Anthony Gordon at full-time.
The Benfica supervisor had simply watched the ahead put in a man-of-the-match show in Newcastle’s 3-0 win towards his aspect at St James’ Park.
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The Champions League is a stage Gordon clearly relishes – and he’s not the one one.
Solely the underside three have scored fewer targets within the Premier League this season than Newcastle, who’ve seven.
But it has been a really totally different story in Europe.
Newcastle have already netted eight targets in simply three video games within the Champions League.
This was an evening the place Eddie Howe’s aspect had 19 efforts, 10 pictures on the right track and 38 touches within the opposition field.
A probably awkward opponent ended up being swept apart – however Howe confused there may be “rather more to return”.
“We’re seeing the early shoots of the brand new staff and it is thrilling what we will be,” he mentioned. “However quite a lot of laborious work forward.”
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Gordon steps up at essential second
Howe was definitely not getting carried away.
However the Newcastle head coach can have taken immense encouragement from the contribution of his forwards.
Newcastle have relied on file signing Nick Woltemade, who scored his aspect’s first aim towards Wolves, Arsenal, Union Saint-Gilloise and Brighton in latest weeks, and whose link-up play was once more eye-catching on Tuesday night time.
However when this sport was on a knife-edge, and St James’ Park was tense, Newcastle wanted another person to step up and ease the goalscoring burden.
And Gordon did so when he side-footed residence on the again submit following Jacob Murphy’s ball throughout within the thirty second minute.
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Gordon, within the course of, grew to become the primary Newcastle participant ever to attain in three successive Champions League video games, whereas solely Alan Shearer has extra targets within the competitors for the membership.
“It means every part, however I must get extra,” Gordon advised TNT Sport. “My ambition would not cease there.”
This was an important contribution, although, as Benfica supervisor Mourinho wanted no reminding.
His ahead Dodi Lukebakio had earlier hit the submit and compelled Nick Pope right into a fantastic save when the match was goalless.
“St James’ was quiet,” Mourinho mentioned. “The followers felt that the sport was not simple. They felt Benfica was a lot nearer than Newcastle to attain.
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“They introduced their enthusiasm in set-pieces, which is regular. When you may have a staff of giants, you understand each set-piece, throw-in, lateral free-kick, nook is a dramatic second for the opponent – and it was the one second that they introduced that enthusiasm and that stress to the opponent.
“We felt very snug within the first half.”
Pope help ‘a factor of magnificence’
Newcastle, crucially, didn’t ease off after taking the lead, although.
The hosts scored the aim that “killed the sport” within the phrases of Mourinho after the break.
Moderately than making an attempt to accept a 1-0 win, Howe launched Harvey Barnes halfway by means of the second half alongside Joelinton.
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And, similar to towards Union Saint-Gilloise this month, Barnes seemed desirous to impress from the bench.
But even the substitute can have been stunned by the team-mate who arrange his first after Pope single-handedly launched an excellent counter-attack with a 65-yard throw from his personal field, which Howe hailed as a “factor of magnificence”.
Benfica defender Antonio Silva rushed throughout to attempt to lower out the hazard however misjudged the flight of the ball and Barnes pounced, ending clinically off the upright.
As a lot as Newcastle gamers rushed to have fun with Barnes, Bruno Guimaraes, Dan Burn, Malick Thiaw and Sven Botman tellingly mobbed Pope to congratulate him.
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However Newcastle, and Barnes, weren’t completed but. There was nonetheless time for the substitute so as to add a 3rd after Gordon teed him up.
Barnes, like Gordon, has embraced this stage with the pair scoring seven targets mixed in simply three video games within the competitors.
By the use of distinction, they’ve but to search out the online within the Premier League this season.
“It is a head-scratcher for me,” Howe mentioned. “As a result of we all know their qualities, we all know they’re goalscorers, we all know how good gamers they’re – and that goes for one more few gamers within the squad.
“While you see us play like we did tonight, how we attacked and the quantity of possibilities we created, it is a tough one for us to work out.
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“However all we will do is return to the Premier League and return with the identical perspective. If the perspective is there, the standard will present.”