Eddie Howe had reason to be wary. Up against a young hotshot coach and his high-flying Belgian champions, Newcastle’s manager must have felt a certain pressure at kick-off.
Given Newcastle were still coming to terms with the departure of Alexander Isak and had been struggling for form, a balmy early October night in Brussels seemed far from the ideal time or place to meet Sébastian Pocognoli’s vibrant Union Saint‑Gilloise.
A defeat at Anderlecht’s Lotto Park – Uefa deems Union SG’s own ground unsuitable for Champions League games – would have led some to consider Newcastle as being in crisis going into their Premier League date with a similarly stuttering Nottingham Forest on Tyneside on Sunday.
Instead they will face Ange Postecoglou’s side with confidence restored after goals from the impressive Nick Woltemade, Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes ultimately overwhelmed Pocognoli’s spirited side. Throw in outstanding performances from Sandro Tonali and Anthony Elanga and it is easy to understand why the Geordie mood music had turned considerably more upbeat.
“That’s what we wanted,” Howe said. “This was a big response from the players. Nick was excellent, he’s getting really embedded into the team. And we saw the best of Sandro.”
Lotto Park was gloriously loud at kick-off and locals might have had something to celebrate had Kevin Rodríguez not directed a half‑chance over the bar after connecting with the fallout from Anouar Ait El Hadj’s corner.
Ait El Hadj was operating as a No 10 in the hole behind Rodríguez and Promise David in a 3-4-1-2. Perhaps believing that fortune really does favour the brave, Pocognoli had persisted with his preferred twin‑striker system against a Newcastle defence featuring Dan Burn in his less assured left-back role.
It was Pocognoli’s rearguard that came under the most intense early pressure, though. Kevin Scherpen, Union SG’s former Brighton goalkeeper, has a penchant for punching when catching looks more straightforward and this high-risk habit only exacerbated the strain on the former Portsmouth defender Christian Burgess and company.
In the 17th minute their resistance broke when Woltemade’s sublimely subtle flick ensured that Tonali’s volley evaded Scherpen’s grasp. Howe says Tonali’s shot is so hard that he fears for his goalkeepers’ wrists in training, but just lately he has encouraged the Italy midfielder to have extra finishing practice. When Elanga’s cross was cleared only partially and the ball dropped for the Italian such homework apparently paid off.
Yet although Howe’s players queued up to congratulate Tonali, Woltemade’s flick had actually diverted the volley in. It was the 6ft 6in striker’s third goal since arriving from Stuttgart for £70m in August.
What a difference 12 months makes. Little more than a year ago Union SG were competing with Stuttgart to sign Woltemade and it says much for the Belgian club’s data-led recruitment system that Isak’s replacement is now not merely Newcastle’s record buy but a Germany international too.
The home side responded by redoubling their efforts. David, a Canadian scouted by several Premier League clubs, began ruffling Burn and Nick Pope needed to dive low to turn Adem Zorgane’s shot around a post.
A fortnight ago David had scored as Union SG marked their Champions League debut with a 3-1 victory at PSV Eindhoven but Newcastle were proving far tougher opponents. By half-time they had doubled their advantage, courtesy of Gordon’s impeccably executed penalty after Fedde Leysen felled Elanga.
Although Ait El Hadj’s vision and movement subsequently caught Howe’s defence cold, the gifted Moroccan lifted his ensuing shot over the bar as the game drifted away from the hosts.
Yet as outstanding as Woltemade’s hold-up and linking continued to be, Union SG still had their moments. When Anan Khalaili dodged Burn, Pope looked suitably relieved to see his angled shot fly fractionally wide as the drummers among the home fans resumed their almost incessant beating.
It took Gordon’s second penalty of the night to subdue them, that kick having been awarded when a video assistant referee review confirmed his cross was handled by Kamiel Van de Perre.
It proved the cue for the former Accrington defender Ross Sykes, the former Accrington defender and a lifelong Newcastle fan, to replace Kevin Mac Allister in a game he will surely never forget.
Pope was required to save smartly when another home substitute, Sofiane Boufal, let fly from 25 yards. The Southampton old boy was soon upstaged when Barnes stepped off the bench and almost immediately swept Newcastle’s fourth goal home. It concluded a tremendous counterattack featuring stellar work from Will Osula and – perhaps inevitably – Gordon.
“We’ve been waiting for a performance like that,” Howe said. “It was a big step in the right direction.”
