Eddie Howe's take ...
“I’m still coming to terms with it, to be honest,” says Newcastle’s manager in an interview with TNT. “I feel really flat but at the same time very, very pleased with what the players have given today. As you can see, our squad is very thin and what the players gave today, their commitment their execution … yeah, we rode our luck at times but I think we deserved that and we sort of ran out of luck at the end because I didn’t think that was a penalty.”
Having confirmed his conclusion after being shown a replay: “The referee’s under pressure with every decision here with the crowd. People at home might not be aware of the pressure put on the referee by the crowd but it’s extreme and in the last seconds of the game he’s given them that.”
Alexander Isak speaks: “It was unfortunate for us to get a goal against us so late,” he tells TNT Sports. “I think we started defending our goal a bit too early. It’s never nice to concede a goal that late.
“My first reaction was it wasn’t [a penalty]. It seemed cheap. I haven’t seen a replay. Hopefully it was a penalty. We have to trust the referees.”
On Newcastle’s performance: “We are very proud of the team. It’s not an easy place to come because they haven’t lost for some time here. We almost got the win. It is unfortunate. We always want to win, but this point will be important. We have it all to play for.”
It will be interesting to see if Mr Isak’s take on the game is as measured once he sees a replay of that penalty decision.
How Group F stands: Borussia Dortmund’s 3-1 over Milan means they are through to the knockout stages. Newcastle need to beat AC Milan in St James’ Park but their fate is out of their own hands. If PSG match their result in their game against Dortmund, it is the French side that will go through. Should Newcastle beat Milan and PSG draw against Dortmund, the two clubs will be level on points but Newcastle will go through on head-to-head.
Man of the Match: You couldn’t fault anyone in a Newcastle shirt, as all 11 players excelled in a superb collective effort. Lewis Miley deserves particular kudos, however, for an astonishingly mature performance in midfield that belied his 17 years.
A quick recap: PSG roared out of the traps, attacking Newcastle down both flanks but were unable to convert their best chance, an audacious Mbappe flick that was saved by Pope. Having got a foothold in the game, Newcastle took the lead through Alexander Isak and defended stoutly in the face of a late PSG onslaught that saw Bradley Barcola miss several chances to equalise.
PSG were thrown a lifeline by the referee at the very death and Kylian Mbappe made no mistake, smashing home an undeserved penalty from 12 yards. It’s still all to play for in Group F but Newcastle’s destiny is no longer in their own hands.
That penalty: Having not put a foot wrong throughout the game, referee Szymon Marciniak went to his monitor to check a possible Tino Livramento hand-ball in his own penalty area. As far as I can tell on the back of several replays, a Dembele cross from hit Livramento’s chest from close range and then gently ricocheted on to his arm. There is no way that should be a spot-kick but a man widely regarded as one of the best, if not the best referee in the world, has decided otherwise after looking at several slow-motion replays.
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Full-time: Paris Saint-Germain 1-1 Newcastle United
Peep! Peep! Peeeeeeeeeeeep! It’s all over in Paris, where Newcastle have rescued a point at the death courtesy of a penalty that really should not have been awarded. Newcastle go into matchday six with their destiny outside their own hands. They’ll need to beat Milan and hope Borussia Dortmiund can do them a favour against PSG.
90+9 min: Barcola heads over the bar at the far post after getting on the end of a Hakimi cross from the right. He’s squandered a hat-trick of chances since coming on.
GOAL! Paris Saint-Germain 1-1 Newcastle (Mbappe 90+8pen)
PSG are level!!! Kylian Mbappe smashes the ball into the top right-hand corner.
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PENALTY FOR PSG!
90+5 min: The penalty is given for handball, which seems odd considering the cross hit Livramento’s chest and was deflected on to his left elbow.
90+5 min: PSG’s players and fans scream for a penalty, claiming Tino Livramento handled the ball. There’s going to be a VAR check and referee Szymon Marciniak heads to his pitchside monitor.
90+2 min: Well, that’s been in the post. Nick Pope gets booked for time-wasting as he dilly-dallies over yet another kick-out. He won’t mind and if he gets another yellow followed by a red, Newcastle have five substitutions left and not one but two goalkeepers on the bench to choose from.
90+1 min: Hakimi sends a cross into the Newcastle penalty area. It’s a mite too high for Mbappe to get his head on but drops for Barcola, who volleys high over the bar from six yards. As the ball is chucked Nick Pope’s way, the ref warns him to speed up his goal-kicks.
90 min: Nick Pope dawdles over another goal-kick after PSG fail to capitalise on a corner. We’ll have at least eight minutes of added time.
89 min: Miguel Almiron is booked for time-wasting.
87 min: Kylian Mbappe gets the better of Fabian Schar and shoots straight into Pope’s midrift at the near post. The ball breaks back to him and he has an acre of goal to aim at but shoots narrowly wide of the far post. Taking a gamble that the ball is going wide, Kieran Trippier somehow resists the urge to stick out a toe and accidentally bury it in his own net.
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85 min: PSG substitution: Goncalo Ramos on for Danilo.
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84 min: Lascelles goes down thumping the ground in pain after doing superbly to stop Mbappe getting on the ball.
83 min: PSG substitution: Marco Asensio on for Lee Kang-in.
82 min: From four or five yards out, Ousmane Dembele connects with a low Hernandez cross at the near post but is unable to steer it goalwards. His toe-poke flashes inches wide of the upright.
81 min: Lee, Hakimi and Mbappe try to carve out an opening down the right but an uncharacteristically poor touch from Mr PSG sees their move break down. Newcastle hack the ball clear.
79 min: From 25 yards out, Hakimi sends a speculative effort fizzing high over the bar. Somewhat understandably, Nick Pope is no rush to take his goal-kick and prompts whistles of derision from the crowd behind his goal.
78 min: Fabian Schar is perfectly placed to intercept and clear a low Achraf Hakimi cross from the right on the edge of his six-yard box.
77 min: Pope dashes off his line to prevent Mbappe running on to a through ball at the edge of his area. It’s excellent, decisive goalkeeping.
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75 min: Into the final 15 minutes we go, with the players of Newcastle presumably shattered on a physical and mental level, with little in the way of reinforcements on the bench. Meanwhile in Italy, Borussia Dortmund are 3-1 up against Milan and heading for the knockout stages.
72 min: There’s another appeal for a spot-kick, this time for a Lewis Miley handball as PSG lay siege on the Newcastle penalty area. Donnarumma gets a yellow card for dissent and it’s "check over, no penalty”. The ball did bounce up and hit Miley’s arm as Newcastle frantically tried to clear it but there was nothing he could do about it and the limb in question was not in an unnatural position.
69 min: There are loud appeals for a PSG penalty as Anthony Gordon appears to bundle Hakimi to the ground on the right side of the Newcastle penalty area. Referee Szymon Marciniak isn’t interested and his VAR advises him that he’s made the right decision. It looked 50-50 to me; if the ref had given a penalty, I don’t think his call would have been overturned.
67 min: Barcola squanders another opportunity to restore parity for PSG, shooting from a tight angle with his right foot when he should have gone with his right.
66 min: What a save!!! Nick Pope denies Barcola with an astonishing stop. Mbappe had jinked his way into the Newcastle penalty area from the right and rolled the ball into the path of Barcola. From about four yards out it seemed the substitute couldn’t possible miss but his firm strike was somehow kept out by Pope, who got a leg to it.
64 min: The ball breaks fortuitously and kindly for Almiron on the edge of the PSG penalty area. He tries to steer a volley towards the far corner but sends his effort well wide.
63 min: PSG double-substitution: Vitinha and Bradley Barcola on for Ugarte and Muani.
62 min: Trippier goes long with the corner, trying to pick out Lascelles. The ref spots an infringement elsewhere in the box and PSG get a free-kick.
61 min: Trippier’s free-kick hits the wall and goes behind for a corner.
59 min: Ousmane Dembele is booked for a foul on Livramento. A minute or so later, Milan Skriniar sees yellow for a late challenge on Anthony Gordon, who had taken the ball past him. Free-kick for Newcastle in Trippier territory.
56 min: Nick Pope is called into action and is quick off his line to deny Dembele on the edge of his six-yard box after the PSG winger had run on to a first-time ball around the corner from Muani. The ball breaks to Mbappe, who tries to “Garnacho” it into the Newcastle goal. Nope.
56 min: I’ll tell you hasn’t impressed me – Milan Skriniar. He’s looked an accident waiting to happen in the heart of PSG’s defence.
55 min: Lee Kang-in gets booked for a cheeky tug on Bruno Guimaraes’s shirt.
53 min: Tino Livramento, a comparatively geriatric 21-year-old, has also been excellent for Newcastle and a jinking run he made across the face of the PSG penalty area in the build-up to his side’s goal, was crucial in its creation.
51 min: Lewis Miley, who is aged 17 but looks about 12, is playing with incredible maturity in Newcastle’s midfield. He hasn’t put a foot wrong and keeps popping up exactly where he’s needed, demanding the ball or making crucial tackles or blocks.
49 min: PSG are dominating possession in the early stages of this second half but doing or little or nothing with it to cause Newcastle’s players much concern. If Eddie Howe’s side could score another goal, the home side could completely lose the plot.
46 min: Joelinton picks out Isak with a wonderful ball between two defenders. Instead of shooting, he tries to take on and beat an isolated Danilo in the PSG penalty area and is eventually crowded off the ball when PSG reinforcements arrive. “He’s gotta hit it there!” exclaims an exasperated Ally McCoist, who is on co-comms for TNT Sports.
Second half: Paris Saint-Germain 0-1 Newcastle United
46 min: Play resumes, with no changes of personnel on either side. Next 10, nothing silly!
Half-time: Paris Saint-Germain 0-1 Newcastle
Peep! Referee Szymon Marciniak draws the first half to a close and things could scarcely have gone better for Newcastle. Having weathered PSG’s early storm, they grew into the game and went ahead when Alexander Isak fired home on the follow-up from close range after Donnarumma had spilled an Almiron shot from distance into his path.
Newcastle’s defence has been outstanding, while Joelinton, Lewis Miley and Miguel Almiron have also put in eyecatching performances. It’s a lot done, plenty more to do for Newcastle.
45+3 min: An Mbappe pull-back from the byline finds Dembele, whose shot on goal is blocked by Fabian Schar. That is outstanding defending but Dembele made it easy for him and should have scored. It’s half-time.
45+2 min: It’s heart-in-mouth time for PSG again as Isak gets in behind Milan Skriniar on the chase after a long ball from deep. The PSG defender somehow manages to prevent the ball from bouncing into the path of the Newcastle striker.
45+1 min: Newcastle win a corner. Kieran Trippier tries to pick out Lascelles with an outswinger but he’s penalised for a foul on a defender as the ball comes his way.
44 min: An Ugarte shot from distance is deflected out for a PSG corner. Lascelle’s clears the ensuing cross with a meaty header, the ball sits up kindly for Fabian Ruiz and he fires straight at Pope under pressure from Miley.
42 min: An extremely promising PSG counter-attack comes to an abrupt end when Dembele sends a cross from the right far too close to Nick Pope.
40 min: While Newcastle’s opener has done little or nothing to silence the raucous percussion led din emanating from the stands, it does seem to have rather knocked the stuffing out of the PSG players. Nick Pope has had little or nothing to do apart from that early save he made from Mbappe’s audacious flick.
38 min: Elsewhere in Group F, Milan have equalised against Dortmund, with Samuel Chukwueze restoring parity. As things stand, Newcastle are second in the group.
36 min: Manuel Ugarte gets booked for a cynical tug on Miguel Almiron that nips a Newcastle counter-attack in the bud. Under experimental new laws unveiled by Ifab today, that would earn him an orange card and 10 minutes in the sin bin.
36 min: Muani tries a shot from distance but it’s blocked by Schar.
33 min: PSG try to pin Newcastle deep inside their own half but the visitors play their way out courtesy of some excellent work in tight spaces by Livramento, Joelinton and Schar, among others. Newcastle are playing superbly but at the risk of harping on about it, one wonders how long they’ll be able to last physically and mentally with so little in reserve on the bench.
29 min: A Hakimi cross from the right and Ousmane Dembele’s header hits Kolo Muani, who attempts to back-heel the ball into the path of the onrushing Lee. Miley dives in to block and prevent the South Korean getting a shot off.
26 min: That’s a fine poacher’s goal from Isak, who was quickest to react on the follow-up after Donnarumma failed to hold on to a dipping Almiron shot from outside the penalty area. A tip of the hat to Lewis Miley, who played a crucial role in the build-up to the goal by dragging Lucas Hernandez out of position with a crafty decoy run, creating the space from which Almiron took his shot.
GOAL! PSG 0-1 Newcastle United (Isak 25)
Newcastle lead! Alexander Isak rifles into an empty net from five yards out after Donnarumma parries a shot from distance straight into his path.
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22 min: From the free-kick, Lee picks out Dembele at the far post but the PSG winger shoots over with a wild slash from a fairly narrow angle.
21 min: PSG get themselves back on the ball, working it back to Gianluigi Donnarumma from a throw-in on the halfway line. Moments later, Joelinton is booked for a foul on Lucas Hernandez.
18 min: Newcastle enjoy a period of sustained possession, forcing their hosts to chase shadows for a change. Meanwhile in Italy, Borussia Dortmund are a goal up against AC Milan in this group’s other game. Marco Reus has put the German side ahead from the penalty spot, while Olivier Giroud has missed from the spot for Milan.
15 min: After withstanding PSG’s early blitz down both flanks, Newcastle have got something of a foothold in the game. They could really do with a goal or two in this first half, as the longer the game goes on, the more fatigued their players are going to get. With little or nothing in the way of experienced back-up on their bench, they could really suffer in the final half-hour of this game, particularly after their exertions against Chelsea at the weekend.
14 min: Bruno Guimaraes eschews a shooting opportunity, choosing instead to try to pick out Miguel Almiron. Lee cleans up for PSG.
13 min: Almiron does brilliantly to rob Hakimi of the ball deep inside his own half and tee up Isak at the near post. The Newcastle striker is unable to hit the target from seven yards and fires over the bar. That was a great chance but it’s been wasted.
12 min: PSG corner. Lee takes it short to Dembele but he’s unable to get past Anthony Gordon. Newcastle break upfield.
9 min: Kolo Muani is sent clear, galloping up the right flank after Tino Livramento had been caught out by Achraf Hakimi. He sends a low cross into the penalty area, where Mbappe tries to flick the ball past Pope. Nick Pope saves with his legs.
9 min: Anthony Gordon wins a free-kick for his team just inside the Newcastle half, going down under a shove in the back from Dembele.
7 min: Newcastle attack on the break, with Miley, Alexander Isak and Miguel Almiron all getting on the ball. A vaguely promising move breaks down when the teenager is unable to keep a slightly wayward pass from going out of play.
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6 min: Fabian Schar is forced to sprint across and slide in with a covering tackle to put a Hachraf Akimi ball down the right flank towards Dembele out for a throw-in. Newcastle are seriously under the cosh already.
4 min: Ousmane Dembele sends a cross towards the far post but Lee is unable to connect cleanly with his volley towards the bottom corner from the edge of the six-yard box. The ball pops up in the air following his scuffed effort and Fabian Ruiz shoots the bouncing ball over the bar.
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3 min: It’s a big, big night for 17-year-old Lewis Miley in Newcastle’s midfield and he gets a couple of early touches to settle any early nerves.
1 min: Jamal Lascelles is called into action to clear two early crosses from the left-hand side as PSG set out their stall within the first 50 seconds. Lee Kang-in and Kylian Mbappe are looking dangerous early doors.
Paris Saint-Germain v Newcastle United is go ...
1 min: With drums banging loudly in the stands, PSG get the ball rolling against their visitors on Szymon Marciniak’s whistle. They lump the ball forward and Newcastle quickly clear their lines.
Not long now: With everything to play for in Group F, the players of both sides march out into the Parisienne night, led by referee Szymon Marciniak and his team of match officials. They line up for the Champions League anthem and kick-off is just a few minutes and an exchange of pennants between Kylian Mbappe and Jamal Lascelles among other pre-match formalities away.
Luis Enrique: “If you saw the last match against Chelsea, physically it’s really incredible,” said PSG’s coach as he discussed tonight’s opponents. “Six players are putting on so much pressure, they can pressurise eight players at the same time. This intensity in their game and this pressure is something that we need to be prepared for.
“The competition could be really short, it is a very complicated group and the ranking is really close, as you see. It’s true that now every game is decisive, it’s knockout style. Two teams could be qualified already tomorrow night depending on the results, so until the last day, we don’t know. I’m sure that my team is ready, though, ready to play, to be competitive on the pitch and that’s what we’ve been proving throughout the entire season.”
Eddie Howe: “We need to play on the edge,” said Newqcastle’s manager in his pre-match press conference. “Every team is at their best when they have that emotion running through them and we need that energy because this is the defining moment of our Champions League campaign.
“We are fully aware of where we are and what we need to do. Our defensive structure and resilience has been good this season, so we need it to be every ounce as good as that against PSG.
“Fear of failure is a motivating factor in my career -- losing doesn’t sit comfortably, no matter what the occasion and of course that applies to this game.”
Elsewhere in Group F: AC Milan host Group leaders Borussia Dortmund at the San Siro. If the Italian side win and Newcastle lose, Eddie Howe’s men will be out of the Champions League and unable to achieve the third place finish that would see them drop into the Europa League knockout stages.
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That Newcastle line-up: Suffering from whatever the polar opposite of a selection headache is, Eddie Howe has named the exact same team that started against Chelsea on Saturday. Allowed to name nine substitutes in the Champions League, he has picked just seven players for his bench. Two of them are goalkeepers and four of the remaining five are teenagers. Three of those youngsters – James Huntley, Michael Ndiweni and Ben Parkinson – have just two senior appearances between them for the club. Not one of Newcastle’s substitutes is an attacker.
Paris Saint-Germain v Newcastle line-ups
Paris Saint-Germain: Donnarumma, Hakimi, Skriniar, Danilo, Hernandez, Ruiz, Ugarte, Lee, Dembele, Kolo Muani, Mbappe.
Subs: Letellier, Tenas, Goncalo Ramos, Asensio, Vitinha, Mukiele, Soler, Barcola.
Newcastle United: Pope; Trippier, Lascelles, Schar, Livramento; Joelinton, Miley, Guimaraes; Almiron, Isak, Gordon.
Subs: Dubravka, Karius, Dummett, Hall, Huntley, Ndiweni, Parkinson.
Trouble in Paris: Newcastle fans have been encouraged to stick together to stay safe in the French capital after trouble flared briefly in the buildup to Tuesday’s Champions League game.
Tonight’s match officials
Referee: Szymon Marciniak
Assistant referees: Tomasz Listkiewicz and Adam Kupsik
Fourth official: Paweł Raczkowski
VAR: Tomasz Kwiatkowski
Assistant VAR: Ivan Bebek
Group F permutations
Following back-to-back defeats at the hands of Borussia Dortmund, Newcastle must avoid defeat in Paris to keep their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages alive. Should Eddie Howe’s side beat their hosts, they will overtake their hosts and would sit second or third in the group depending on the outcome of tonight’s game between AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund at San Siro.
Currently three points behind Borussia Dortmund in the table, Newcastle can’t overtake them tonight as Champions League rules dictate they would miss out due to head-to-head results between the two sides.
A draw would still keep Newcastle in contention for qualification for the knockout stages ahead what would be a must-win final group game against Milan at St James’ Park. Defeat tonight will make it impossible for them to progress as they would be unable to overtake either Dortmund or PSG, whatever the outcome of their match against Milan. Even if they lose tonight, Newcastle could still drop into the knockout stages of the Europa League by finishing third in the group. However, if they lose and Milan beat Borussia Dortmund, Newcastle’s Euroean dream is over for the season.
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Early team news
It was a decidedly decimated Newcastle squad that touched down in Paris, with no fewer than 11 first team regulars and fringe players sidelined through injury or suspension.
Sandro Tonali continues his suspension for a breach of betting regulations, while – deep breath – Jacob Murphy (shoulder), Dan Burn (back), Callum Wilson (thigh), Elliott Anderson (back), Sven Botman (knee), Harvey Barnes (ankle), Sean Longstaff (ankle), Joe Willock (calf), Javier Manquillo (groin) and Matt Targett (thigh) are all spending more time than they would like in the physio room.
While Newcastle were able to field a team strong enough to hammer Chelsea on Saturday, they were so low on numbers Eddie Howe was forced to name three goalkeepers and several young academy graduates among his substitutes in order to take the bare look off his bench.
PSG boss Luis Enrique has injury issues of his own to deal with and is still reeling from the loss of his teenage midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery to an ankle injury during the international break. The prodigious 17-year-old joins Marco Asensio, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, Danilo Pereira and Presnel Kimbembe in the French side’s collection of the lame and halt.
Group F: Paris Saint-Germain v Newcastle United
Tonight’s Gulf State derby in Paris isn’t necessarily must-win for Newcastle United but it is certainly must-not-lose if the Saudi owned side are to maintain any hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of the first Champions League they have played in for 20 years.
Back-to-back defeats at the hands of Borussia Dortmund have left Newcastle bottom of Group F but a win at the Parc Des Princes will take them above their hosts, right back in the qualification mix with one game to go.
Despite having 12 players missing through injury or suspension, those available to Eddie Howe managed to pull off an impressive victory over Chelsea at the weekend. It remains to be seen how much of a toll the collective physical effort that laid the foundations for that emphatic victory will take on his side when they face the French champions. Kick-off in Paris is at 8pm (GMT) but stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.
