Eddie Howe says Newcastle United are at a “big moment” in the season as they look to bounce back from their Champions League exit in Paris.
The Magpies need to avoid defeat at the hands of in-form Paris Saint-Germain to remain in the competition after they were left with little margin for error following two defeats to Borussia Dortmund in the French capital.
This is a big problem in a campaign that has been made more difficult by injuries.
A lack of options means a full Champions League debut is all but inevitable for 17-year-old midfield prodigy Lewis Miley. Speaking in Paris, Howe and goalkeeper Nick Pope agreed that the club’s desire to become the “top team” meant they had to deliver results that matched their ambitions.
How Newcastle can reach the play-offs
The “Group of Death” lived up to its name, although the qualifications have not yet been determined. In fact, all four teams could still technically advance to the round of 16.
Going into Tuesday’s match, Newcastle are bottom with four points, with leaders Dortmund on seven, PSG on six and Milan on five.
Here’s what happens to Newcastle whether they win, lose or draw:
Win: Victory would lift Newcastle above PSG in Group F, although they still need to avoid defeat to Milan on December 13 and keep an eye on Dortmund’s final game against the Parisians.
Lose: Newcastle are eliminated. Even if they beat Milan at St James’ Park, they will not be able to beat Dortmund or PSG by seven points and will have a worse direct result.
Paint: A point would keep Newcastle in the race and would mean a big draw with AC Milan at St James’ Park in the final gameweek.
Howe promises to ‘play on the edge’
“We have to play on the edge. We are at our best when we play on the edge,” Howe said of the pressure.
“We will need every ounce of motivation and energy. This is a decisive moment in our Champions League campaign and we understand what can happen. We’ll give everything.
“I don’t think our motivation or hunger could be any higher at the moment. We want to stay in the Champions League for as long as possible and that’s why Tuesday will be an important moment in our season.”
After two mediocre away games in the Champions League – a good draw with AC Milan followed by defeat to Dortmund – Howe changed his previous strategy and decided to conduct his final pre-match training at the Parc des Princes.
The Newcastle manager said the reason for this was to give the players extra rest and time with their families, and to get a feel for the stadium before the game.
This reinforces the feeling that he is trying to find a different formula for success in Europe, which could also extend to a different tactical approach.
Newcastle’s motto: “Intensity is our identity” is a mantra that has served them well, but Howe suggested it could be adjusted against a PSG side that scored five goals in Friday’s win over Monaco.
“I think we need different tools for different games,” Howe said.
“We more or less had a winning formula – well, I say winning formula – we had different routes, but one basic style of play was a big strength for us.”
“But we made adjustments and came up with different plans for different games. This is definitely a one-off game for us, so you’ll have to wait and see how we prepare and what we do.
“But the way we play the fundamentals can never change, but as always there will be changes in the attitude of the opponent.”
Newcastle Team News
Newcastle’s injury crisis has shown no signs of abating as Sean Longstaff remains at Newcastle with an ankle injury.
Joe Willock will see a specialist to determine whether his Achilles problem has recurred and the length of Sven Botman’s absence is still unknown.
United included 19-year-old James Huntley in the away squad, with the bench once again made up largely of Academy and U23 players.
But Miley, who put in a strong performance against Chelsea, showed that challenges create opportunities that can be capitalized on and Howe believes the youngster is “ready” to step in for such an important game.
“He has a great temperament for things like this,” he said.
Source: I News
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