Newcastle beat Athletic Club 2-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday night, lifting Eddie Howe’s side into the top eight of the table. The Premier League side dominated for much of the match, with Athletic Club threatening to take a late turn.
Newcastle took the lead 11 minutes into the match after Joelinton saw his goal canceled for offside. Dan Byrne was recognized for his efforts with a superb header from Kieran Trippier’s free-kick to beat Unai Simone. Joelinton then doubled his team’s lead with a header early in the second half. However, Howe was given a new challenge when Anthony Gordon was sent off with an injury at the end of the first half. And Express Sport has evaluated the Newcastle player and shortlisted him.
Newcastle vs Athletic Club player ratings (4-3-3)
Nick Pope: 8
He was called upon to sweep at times, rushing 40 yards up the field to remove danger immediately after his team took the lead. He made a good save after being given the ball by Anthony Gordon in the first half. Then, just after the 30th minute, he released the ball to Gordon and switched from defense to attack. He made a number of saves in the final stages.
Kieran Trippier: 7
He showed his talent for set-pieces by smashing in a free-kick that hit Byrne’s head for the first goal. Byrne almost got picked for the second time before the interval, causing problems every time he put the ball into the box.
Malik Thiau: 7
He scored a header and took command from the back. We weren’t really tested until the last 20 minutes and it’s going to be a tougher night in the Champions League this season. However, we had to be careful until the end.
Sven Botman: 6
He was hit in the face in the first half, but he bounced it off. They gave away the ball right after Newcastle had led 2-0 and couldn’t have done better. He had a header on goal early in the second half.
Dan Byrne: 8
He proved to be an early hero as he headed home the opener and blew a kiss to the Gallagher end. He was aggressive at both ends of the pitch, but he hit a shot wide of the target from a good position to make it 2-0. The local hero is enjoying the best years of his career at his hometown club.
Bruno Guimarães: 5
I couldn’t train much this week due to illness and it showed. Just before half-time, when he tried to pass through Joelinton, his passing was sloppy and he lost the ball multiple times. He was sent off in the second half to rest up for the weekend.
Sandro Tonali: 8
He has been one of Newcastle’s best players this season, controlling the flow of the game from the center of the pitch and showing great awareness throughout. The quality of the ball was great and he also pulled off some decent passes.
Joelinton: 7
He had a great shot eight minutes later, but it was ruled offside. Then, just before the end of the first half, he made a clear shot and was blocked by Simon, who swayed the line. However, his powerful header made no mistake and doubled the Magpies’ lead.
Harvey Barnes: 7
He started on the right, but after Gordon was sent off he took up his preferred position on the left. In the build-up to the second goal, he toyed with the defense and slotted the ball into the perfect area for Joelinton to head home. It would be a shame that he was let go so early when he was just starting out.
Nick Waltemaid: 7
In the first half, he almost lost his chance after being teed up by Harvey Barnes, but misjudged his header. He worked hard, kept the ball well and created space for his attacking teammates. At one point in the second half, he was fouled and became furious.
Anthony Gordon: 6
Nick Pope was thankful he didn’t blush when he handed the ball over 20 minutes into the game. Seconds later the visitors hit the post and the England winger breathed a huge sigh of relief. They used their pace well to push forward, but lacked the final product. He was forced to leave due to an injury before the suspension.
replacement
Jacob Murphy: 6
He replaced Gordon and immediately injected energy.
Lewis Hall: 5
He was replaced by Dan Byrne 20 minutes into the second half and will be desperate to get more game time in the coming weeks.
Lewis Miley: 7
Although he came on as a substitute for Bruno Guimarães, the Brazil international struggled to make an impact on the match. He looked dangerous on the ball.
Anthony Elanga: 5
Barnes came on as a substitute and was given a chance to shine as part of a triple substitution. They should have added a third one in the second half.
Jacob Ramsey: 6
The action started with less than 10 minutes remaining.
