Newcastle United crushed Girona 4-0 in their second-to-last friendly before the new Premier League season begins.
Sean Longstaff’s brace and goals from Jacob Murphy and Anthony Gordon gave the Magpies a strong lead at halftime at St James’ Park.
Here are five key points from the opening game of the Sela Weekender.
Newcastle ruthlessly dominate Girona
It’s risky to overanalyze pre-season results. Just as Newcastle didn’t overreact to their 2-0 loss against Yokohama F. Marinos in last week’s intense humidity, they will only be somewhat excited after their dominant win over Girona on Friday night.
Nevertheless, Newcastle delivered an awe-inspiring performance, especially in the first half. The hosts appeared eager right from their warm-up session, with Jacob Murphy rallying the team by shouting, “It’s go time boys! Come on!”
Newcastle started strong. Just four minutes in, Murphy dodged Oriol Romeu and found lots of space. He passed the ball to Alexander Isak, who then set up Tino Livramento in the box. Livramento passed it to Sean Longstaff, who scored past Gazzaniga.
Newcastle quickly made it 2-0 against a stunned Girona. Joelinton beat Oriol Romeu to the ball, ending with Isak near the byline. Isak crossed it into the box, where Lewis Hall headed it to an open Murphy, who scored.
Newcastle still needed to be finished. A few minutes later, Anthony Gordon joined the scoring. Joelinton, crucial again, won the ball near the halfway line and passed it to Isak. Isak then sent a precise pass to Gordon, who raced against Alejandro Frances. Gordon, even while off-balance, found the bottom corner to score.
Girona would have preferred to leave immediately, especially as things seemed likely to get worse. In the 19th minute, Isak won a penalty, but he missed it when Gazzaniga guessed correctly and saved the shot.
Newcastle quickly added a fourth goal just before halftime. Longstaff scored from close range after Joelinton’s header hit the crossbar.
Geordies enjoy their return to St James’ Park
The goal is clear. Unlike in the past, Newcastle players and staff are openly aiming for a top-four finish this season. The game against Girona was the first of two important pre-season tests against teams that have made it to the Champions League.
Girona came off a historic season, having finished third in La Liga. However, they have since lost key players Savio and Artem Dovbyk. Additionally, Viktor Tsyhankov, who was involved in 15 goals in La Liga last season, did not play on Friday night.
This Girona team featured several Premier League veterans, including Paulo Gazzaniga, Daley Blind, Donny van de Beek, Oriol Romeu, and Bryan Gil. However, Newcastle had no trouble overcoming them. Astonishingly, Newcastle were 3-0 up within just 16 minutes, dominating the visitors with intensity. It’s no surprise that the Geordies taunted, “Are you Sunderland in disguise?” about Girona’s red and white kit.
Anthony Gordon feels the support and demonstrates his commitment to Newcastle
After 91 long days, Geordies finally saw Newcastle United back at St James’ Park. The excitement was clear from the long line winding around the club’s new fan zone a few hours before kickoff.
By the time the team sheets were announced, Anthony Gordon was the name on everyone’s lips. This marked Gordon’s first pre-season minutes, his first appearance since returning from the Euros and amid transfer talks between Newcastle and Liverpool. This followed Newcastle’s efforts to raise funds and avoid a PSR disaster in June.
Eddie Howe said Gordon was fully committed to Newcastle, which showed on Friday night. Gordon clapped for the fans during warm-ups and got the loudest cheer when his name was announced before the game.
Gordon picked up right where he left off last season when the game started. He effectively defended against Toni Villa, speeding past Alejandro Frances and scoring Newcastle’s third goal. By halftime, Howe and his staff decided they had seen enough. They substituted Gordon with the promising young player Trevan Sanusi, as planned.
A few possible hints for the Southampton game
Newcastle needs a few good players before the transfer window closes—hence their repeated bids for Marc Guehi. Meanwhile, Eddie Howe has some tough choices before the season starts, including whether to start Tino Livramento or Kieran Trippier at right-back and whether to pick Sean Longstaff or Joe Willock in midfield.
Livramento and Longstaff, as did the whole team, made strong cases for themselves on Friday. Howe may have given some hints for the Southampton match. For example, Dan Burn played as center-back instead of left-back, allowing Lewis Hall to stay on the flank. It’s also likely that Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon, and Jacob Murphy will start together again on the opening day.
Howe has made it clear that no one is certain to be in or out of the starting lineup yet. Fabian Schar, Lloyd Kelly, Kieran Trippier, Bruno Guimaraes, Joe Willock, Miguel Almiron, Harvey Barnes, and the rest of the squad will have their chance to play in Newcastle’s final friendly against Brest on Saturday.
Another memorable night for Newcastle’s young players
Just a friendly? Tell that to Jamie Miley, who got to start for his favorite club at St James’ Park—a special moment for the Geordie.
Miley definitely held his own, working hard in midfield and showing he belonged. After being substituted by Ben Parkinson midway through the second half, he received a handshake and praise from Eddie Howe and assistant Jason Tindall.
In reality, it was a memorable night for several young players. Trevan Sanusi made a notable impact off the bench, creating trouble down the left and setting up a few late chances. Meanwhile, Ellis Stanton and Travis Hernes also appeared towards the end of the game.
Show Your Team Pride! Support your favorite team with the latest news, stats, and exclusive content.
Support Your Favorite Team
