Newcastle United secured a dominant 2-0 Champions League victory against Athletic Club at St James’ Park, fueled by crucial goals from Dan Burn and Joelinton, marking their third consecutive win in the competition.
Newcastle United bounced back from a recent domestic defeat to secure a crucial 2-0 victory against Athletic Club in the Champions League at St James’ Park.
The Magpies’ goals came from an unlikely source in Dan Burn and a decisive header from Joelinton, ensuring a third consecutive European win. While the team delivered a generally positive result, the performances ranged from masterful to frustrating.
Newcastle United Player Ratings
Nick Pope: 7/10
The goalkeeper was sharp, executing a fine stop with his feet to block a close-range effort from Unai Gómez. He also demonstrated good agility in the second half, twice diving effectively to deny Nico Serrano. His outing was one of reliability and sound decision-making, ensuring the clean sheet.
Kieran Trippier: 8/10
The experienced full-back delivered a sublime cross from a free-kick that provided the opening goal. He offered a classic Champions League performance, demonstrating proficiency both defensively and when pushing forward, showcasing his quality with and without the ball on his return to the side.
Malick Thiaw: 7/10
The defender was adept at covering ground and sweeping up play at the back. He also proved to be a presence in the attacking penalty area when venturing forward. This was a composed and stable display where he successfully negated the threat of the visitors without being overstretched.
Sven Botman: 7/10
Botman maintained his composure and discipline under periods of pressure. He was nearly rewarded for his attacking efforts when a second-half header forced a save from the Athletic Club goalkeeper.
Dan Burn: 8/10
Burn was responsible for breaking the deadlock, scoring with a remarkable header from the team’s first clear chance. He continued to maraud forward effectively after the interval and appeared capable of finding the net again, earning a high rating for his impact.
Sandro Tonali: 7/10
After a hesitant start, the midfielder steadily grew into the match. He showed his ability to bypass the opposition’s high press, particularly with a couple of effective passes that released Jacob Murphy into space.
Bruno Guimaraes: 6/10
Guimaraes showed signs of his recent illness, looking below his best and inadvertently handing the visitors an early scoring opportunity. Although he looked slightly subdued, he showed improvement in the second half before being substituted.
Joelinton: 7/10
His night was a mixed bag, starting with clumsiness in possession and having an early effort ruled out for offside. He missed a clear one-on-one chance to double the lead before the break but promptly made amends moments into the second half with a well-placed header. The goal seemed to lift his spirits, resulting in more purposeful forward runs.
Harvey Barnes: 7/10
Barnes delivered a perfectly weighted ball that Woltemade should have converted. After switching to the left flank following a substitution, he quickly provided a crucial assist for Joelinton’s goal, proving to be a genuine attacking threat.
Anthony Gordon: 4/10
The winger endured a nightmare evening, consistently surrendering possession with heavy touches and misplaced passes. He rifled a volley over the bar in an offside position before being withdrawn before half-time, seemingly struggling once again with a recurring hip issue.
Nick Woltemade: 6/10
Woltemade squandered a good heading opportunity that would have extended the lead. Despite demonstrating some neat link-up play, the striker was visibly frustrated as he struggled for overall impact before his late removal.