(Football news) Midweek saw the Magpies’ European tour come to an end with a 2-1 loss to AC Milan, while the Cottagers’ final top-flight match saw them thrash London rivals West Ham United 5-0.
On Wednesday night, all three of Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, and Newcastle were fighting for a coveted spot in the Champions League round of 16, where Eddie Howe’s team’s fate was out of their hands, as Borussia Dortmund rode out into the “group of death” sunset.
Newcastle would have printed their boarding cards to the knockout stages if they had held onto their lead against Milan—which came from Joelinton’s boot—but Christian Pulisic and Samuel Chukwueze shattered the hosts’ hopes of qualifying for Europe, with PSG only securing a point away to Dortmund.
With their awful luck with injuries in 2023–24, some Magpies supporters may argue that Newcastle’s defeat by the Italian powerhouses is a gift in disguise. Newcastle also lost out on the Europa League consolation prize and now have only domestic concerns to take care of until the conclusion of the season.
After losing to Everton and Tottenham Hotspur by an overall score of 7-1 in their previous two Premier League games, Howe’s ruined team lost to Milan for the third time in a row in all competitions. They are currently ranked seventh in the table and are only ahead of Brighton & Hove Albion on goal differential.
Newcastle’s 4-1 drubbing at the hands of Tottenham last weekend marked their sixth Premier League loss of the 2023–24 season; Howe’s team had only dropped five games in the top flight all season in 2022–23. Consequently, playing Fulham, a team that has developed a renewed appreciation for goals, might not be the ideal remedy for a heartbreaking European elimination.
