Eddie Howe believes his Newcastle United side can be competitive in this season’s Champions League but insists they must secure victories early in the campaign.
The Magpies are preparing to face Union Saint-Gilloise in their second group stage match after suffering a 2-1 opening-day defeat to Barcelona, where a Marcus Rashford brace sealed their fate.
Their Belgian opponents, USG, made a statement with an impressive 3-1 victory over PSV in their first-ever Champions League fixture. History is also on their side, as the last six Belgian teams to play their first home game in the European Cup or Champions League have all avoided defeat (W3, D3).
Despite the initial setback, Howe is confident his team can hold its own against Europe’s elite but has urged his players to get points on the board quickly.
“Against Barcelona, we really thought we played well, but it was a disappointing result,” Howe said. “I think we’re competitive. We’re used to the build-up now. Nothing’s going to surprise us, and I think that can only help us perform better.”
He added: “Winning is the be-all and end-all. That’s never been lost on me as a manager. You can play how you want, but you’ve got to try and win. You have to find a way to win with all types of performances, and we did that well last year. I think in the Champions League, it’s important you do that very quickly, otherwise you give yourself too difficult a situation to get out of.”
Newcastle enter the European tie following a 2-1 Premier League loss to Arsenal, a match they were leading until seven minutes from full-time.
Goalkeeper Nick Pope faced criticism for his role in Arsenal’s winning goal, but Howe has firmly backed his number one, praising his overall performance.
“That’s the life of a goalkeeper. I mean, up to that point, it could have been one of the best goalkeeping performances I’ve ever seen,” Howe added. “You have to take into account that his actions in that moment are to try and win us the game. In my position, you don’t act with hindsight; you make decisions, and I’m backing Nick. I thought he was magnificent.”
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