Match Preview
Newcastle United will look to ensure they wrap up an emphatic win in their Champions League play-off round tie with Qarabag when they welcome the Azerbaijani side to St James’ Park on Tuesday.
The Magpies thrashed Qarabag 6-1 in the first leg last week, assuming complete control of the tie as they look to reach the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time.
Anthony Gordon scored four times in a rampant first half in Baku, putting Newcastle in the box seat to set up a last-16 tie with either Barcelona or Premier League rivals Chelsea.
Their extremely healthy advantage affords Newcastle a rare opportunity to rotate amid a packed schedule.
Manager Eddie Howe should relish the chance to freshen things up after Newcastle put up an admirable but likely energy-sapping effort in a narrow 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on Saturday.
Tuesday’s return leg comes before a key game for Newcastle’s ambitions of clinching European football for next season as they host Everton at St James’ Park on Saturday.
Still, Howe has made it clear he does not consider the tie over and will want to have a strong starting XI on the pitch to ensure Newcastle continue their recent upturn in performances. The loss at the Etihad Stadium ended a run of three successive victories for Howe’s men.
Howe was upbeat despite Newcastle being denied a point at City, with his side’s display in Manchester and their prior performances in wins over Tottenham, Aston Villa and Qarabag in stark contrast to the off-colour showing in the 3-2 defeat to Brentford in their most recent game at St James’ Park.
With the mood in the camp seemingly vastly improved, the aim for Newcastle will be to keep the good feeling going by winning the tie in style.
“The league table isn’t what we wanted it to be,” said Howe in his post-match press conference following the City game, with the weekend’s results leaving Newcastle 11th in the Premier League but still in contention for a European place.
“In part, it’s not based on tonight. We are heading in the right direction, that is the most important thing, because it means long-term we’re going to be fine.
“We are trying to win every game, not trying to overthink games. We don’t want to lose momentum. The feeling has been strong, togetherness is strong, you could see that in the second half. Overall, the players are all out, doing the best for this football club.”
Gordon could well be rested ahead of a game against his former club, but forwards such as Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa may see this contest as a golden opportunity to build confidence by getting among the goals.
Team news for Newcastle United v Qarabag
Wissa could return after missing the last four games with a knock. Newcastle will hope Sven Botman is fit enough to return from a back issue, as Malick Thiaw is suspended.
Lewis Miley remains sidelined with a dead leg that has “disturbed a muscle”, the absence of the midfielder and makeshift right-back magnifying that of Tino Livramento, who is expected to return from a hamstring injury in early March.
Kieran Trippier, Leo Shahar and Jacob Murphy are the options at right-back with both Livramento and Miley still unavailable.
Bruno Guimaraes and Fabian Schar are sidelined with long-term injuries.
Lewis Hall, goalscorer against City, is among the players who may be rested by Howe, with the situation in the tie opening the possibility that Alex Murphy could make his full debut.
For Qarabag, defender Bahlul Mustafazada will miss out after being forced off in the first half of the first leg with an adductor injury. Qarabag should be well-rested, having had their league game at the weekend postponed to give them more chance to prepare for the arduous 5,000-mile round trip.
Predicted line-ups for Newcastle United v Qarabag
Newcastle United: Ramsdale; Trippier, Botman, Burn, A. Murphy; Joelinton, Ramsey; Elanga, Woltemade, Osula; Wissa.
Qarabag: Kochalski; Silva, Bolt, Huseynov, Medina, Cafarquliyev; Jankovic, Bicalho; Montiel, Duran, Zubir.
How to watch Newcastle United v Qarabag
Newcastle v Qarabag kicks off at 8pm UK time. It will be broadcast on Prime Video Sport (subscription required).
Stats for Newcastle United v Qarabag
Qarabag have played five previous matches away to English sides, losing all five by an aggregate score of 1-19, and failing to score in each of the last four trips.
Newcastle last won a two-legged knockout stage tie in major European competition by five-plus goals in 2004-05 in the UEFA Cup (7-1 v Olympiacos in the last 16), while their biggest ever aggregate win is eight goals, achieved against Royal Antwerp in the UEFA Cup in 1994-95 (10-2 in a first-round tie).
No team in major European competition history has lost the first leg of a two-legged knockout stage tie by five-plus goals and gone on to progress – this will be the 301st time a team have gone into a second leg after a five-plus goal defeat in the first leg.
Newcastle have won five of their nine games in the Champions League this season (D2 L2) – if they win here, it will be the most victories they’ve achieved in a single edition (6), overtaking their five from 12 games in 2002-03.
Newcastle have scored in each of their last 11 matches in the Champions League (25 goals scored); only Bayern Munich (15) are on a longer streak of consecutive games scored.
Qarabag have conceded 27 goals in nine matches in the Champions League this season, already just one shy of the most conceded by a team in a single edition (since 1992-93): 28 by Bayer Leverkusen in 2001-02 (17 games played).
Gordon has netted 10 goals in 15 appearances in the Champions League; the second quickest an English player has reached double figures for goals in the competition, only behind Harry Kane (12 appearances).
The only players with more goals for an English club in a single edition in the European Cup/Champions League are Ruud van Nistelrooy (12 for Manchester United in 2002-03) and Erling Haaland (12 for Manchester City in 2022-23).
