Newcastle United supporters should have thought these days have been lastly over.
For years Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had been a thorn of their facet throughout his earlier spell at Arsenal from 2018-22.
However Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe had warned the 36-year-old “appeared nearly as good as ever” earlier than Tuesday night time’s Champions League encounter in Marseille.
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Certain sufficient Aubameyang haunted Newcastle as soon as once more on the most important stage of all, along with his quickfire double turning the sport on its head on the Stade Velodrome because the French facet claimed a 2-1 comeback success.
It was a well-known story for Howe’s males because the guests’ struggles on the street continued.
Identical to their most up-to-date away video games towards Brentford and West Ham, Newcastle took the lead. Identical to on the Gtech Group Stadium and the London Stadium, they in the end threw it away.
Defender Dan Burn referred to as it “10 minutes of insanity” and, whereas Howe clung to “constructive indicators”, this was one other painful defeat.
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“It leaves us slightly bit bruised proper this second, however we’ll come again,” stated the annoyed boss. “We have some nice video games forward.
“This competitors was by no means going to be easy for us. It was by no means going to be plain crusing.
“It is the elite competitors it’s as a result of you are going to be challenged and stretched, and it’ll make us a greater group for all these experiences.”
Defensive vulnerabilities on street show pricey once more
But it may have been so totally different after Newcastle initially dealt with a white-hot environment so effectively by gaining the higher hand.
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The noise ranges have been actually deafening earlier than kick-off – even referee Maurizio Mariani and the officers have been loudly whistled once they emerged for the warm-up.
Flares have been let off, ticker tape flickered within the air and a surprising tifo rose from the terraces with an accompanying banner studying “For my city, for my membership”.
However Newcastle have been prepared for it.
That they had travelled early, skilled on the Velodrome on Monday night and appeared to organize barely otherwise on sport day, “to maintain the gamers mentally engaged and prepared for this sport” in Howe’s personal phrases.
That preparation appeared to have paid off towards a facet second in Ligue 1.
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Fairly than being cowed by the group, Newcastle made an aggressive begin.
They received their reward when Harvey Barnes – contemporary from his match-winning double towards Manchester Metropolis on Sunday – fired his facet in entrance within the sixth minute.
However, crucially, Newcastle didn’t press residence their benefit and Marseille rallied.
The guests had sufficient warnings after Aubameyang spurned a collection of alternatives within the first half.
Nevertheless, the much-travelled Marseille ahead was not so forgiving after the break, as Newcastle paid a heavy worth for a sloppy kick-off.
Defender Fabian Schar punted the ball ahead and his facet didn’t get it again beneath management after dropping a collection of duels deep within the opposition half.
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It was far too simple for Timothy Weah to take numerous gamers out of the sport with a cross to Darryl Bakola and the 17-year-old performed a through-ball into the right-hand channel behind Newcastle’s defence.
A Marseille equaliser was not precisely a foregone conclusion given how far-off Aubameyang was from purpose.
However keeper Nick Pope rushed off his line in an try and get there forward of Aubameyang, solely to be caught in no man’s land because the ahead nipped in and completed fantastically from a decent angle out on the correct wing.
Howe was eager to emphasize he “backed” Pope after the sport, regardless of the poor resolution, pointing to how the goalkeeper made “some actually good saves towards Manchester Metropolis simply three days in the past”.
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However this was an evening the place his facet’s vulnerabilities on the again, and on the street, reared their head once more.
‘We’re able to struggle again’
Newcastle’s defending for Marseille’s decisive second purpose simply 4 minutes later was not a lot better.
Weah beat Tino Livramento down the correct and picked out Aubameyang, who received forward of his marker Schar to complete neatly on the close to submit.
Though there was nonetheless loads of time left for Newcastle to get again into the sport, damningly, they by no means really appeared like equalising.
“Ten, quarter-hour of insanity at first of the second half has price us,” Burn instructed TNT Sports activities.
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“It is positively disappointing to return to a group like this and a stadium like this, environment like this and put all that in and never come away with something.”
That has change into a well-known story.
Newcastle have gained every of their final six video games at St James’ Park in all competitions, however have solely triumphed on their travels on one event within the final seven months. That was the 4-0 victory at Union St Gilloise on 1 October – considered one of three within the Champions League that has left them in eighth place within the standings.
And they’re going to should rally rapidly for one more massive check on the street at Everton on Saturday if they’re to climb from 14th spot within the Premier League.
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“It is a powerful one to take,” added Howe. “However the lads are strong, they’re skilled and we’re able to struggle again.”