Key events
2 min: Khalaili prepares to advance down the right only to be clipped to the floor by Joelinton. An early chance for the hosts to load the box and send something in. Ait El Hadj delivers, but to nobody in particular. Newcastle clear their lines.
A friendly handshake between the coaches Eddie Howe and Sebastien Pocognoli … and then Newcastle get the ball rolling. The atmosphere intense as USG make their full Champions League home debut.
The teams are out! USG in their yellow shirts with blue trim, Newcastle in those famous black and white stripes. We’ll be off in a couple of minutes.
Eddie Howe talks to TNT Sports. “The result is very important for us tonight … the performance as well … we’re really excited about the game … we have to back our attacking players … we hope our team clicks … we have a point to prove tonight … we’ve set our plan out for tonight … we have to do it when the pressure is on.”
Some pre-match reading. Courtesy of Louise Taylor in Brussels.
Newcastle make two changes to the starting XI sent out to face Arsenal in the 2-1 Premier League defeat at St James’ Park last Sunday. Kieran Trippier and Anthony Elanga replace Tino Livramento and Jacob Murphy. The latter drops to the bench, but Livramento could be out for six to eight weeks after suffering a knee injury against the Gunners.
The teams
Union Saint-Gilloise: Scherpen, Mac Allister, Burgess, Leysen, Khalaili, Zorgane, Van De Perre, Niang, Ait El Hadj, Rodriguez, David.
Subs: Chambaere, Berradi, Patris, Sykes, Boufal, Giger, Schoofs, Smith, Rasmussen, Barry.
Newcastle United: Pope, Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Burn, Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton, Elanga, Woltemade, Gordon.
Subs: Thompson, Ramsdale, Hall, Schar, Barnes, Krafth, Osula, Jacob Murphy, Willock, Alex Murphy, Miley.
Referee: Urs Schnyder (Switzerland).
Preamble
Union Saint-Gilloise have only hosted English opposition once before. And if you’re a Newcastle fan relying on historical precedent to do you a favour this evening, you’re out of luck: USG beat Liverpool 2-1 in the Europa League groups in December 2023. To be fair to Jurgen Klopp’s side, it was a dead rubber in which they fielded several of the kids, but a win’s a win. So there is that to contend with.
But how much should that history, tangential at best, weigh on Eddie Howe and his team’s mind? Not much, you’d have to say, especially as the Toon are unbeaten in eight matches against Belgian teams, winning seven and drawing the other. They’ll be more concerned about their own patchy form in the Premier League so far this season, and the fact USG impressively swatted aside PSV 3-1 in Eindhoven a couple of weeks ago, and that the Belgians – reigning champions in their homeland for the first time since 1935 – are unbeaten in seven group-stage matches in Uefa competition. Newcastle by contrast have lost four and drawn one of their last five Champions League games. Can they rediscover their mojo tonight in Brussels? We begin to find out at 5.45pm UK time. It’s on!
