Dan Burn shines, £45m star flops- Newcastle’s three winners and three losers vs Athletic Bilbao
Newcastle continued their fine form in the Champions League with a 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao at St James’ Park.
Goals in either half from Dan Burn and Joelinton sealed the three points for Newcastle, as they remain in the top eight of the league phase table.
It was the perfect response after Newcastle’s 3-1 defeat at West Ham in the Premier League, which received plenty of criticism from supporters.
Below are the three winners and the three losers from the Newcastle side that defeated Athletic Bilbao.
Winners
Dan Burn
The defender converted the opening goal of the contest with a superb header from a Kieran Tripper free-kick.
Burn is a massive set-piece threat, but the 33 year-old also won all of his ground duels and made the most interceptions of any player during his time on the pitch.
| Minutes Played | 65 |
| Duels | 8 |
| Ground Duels Won % | 100% |
| Aerial Duels Won % | 80% |
| Interceptions | 2 |
| Clearances | 2 |
The absence of Inaki Williams did hinder the visitors’ threat down the left flank, so Burn would have been tested to a greater extent if Athletic Bilbao’s main man had been available.
Malick Thiaw
The German is fast becoming one of the first names on Howe’s team sheet with another commanding performance from centre-back.
The 24-year-old has now started the last 11 matches in all competitions, signalling his importance to the team already.
Sven Botman’s return to the starting XI also means Newcastle have a first-choice and reliable centre-back partnership to build from.
Kieran Tripper
The right-back was a reliable operator having missed the West Ham defeat through injury, registering the assist for Burn’s opener.
Tripper’s free kicks can be a useful asset, and his expert delivery was perfect for Burn to connect with.
His calm head and experience are also vital on such big nights, and he again nailed down the right back spot in the absence of Tino Livramento following Emil Krafth’s poor display at West Ham.
Losers
Anthony Gordon
Anthony Gordon has been criticised at Newcastle lately for his performances and goal contributions, and that did not change for the winger here.
Gordon has registered four goals and an assist in the Champions League, but he had no shots on goal and only 21 touches in the 41 minutes he was on the pitch.
The 24-year-old was forced off through injury, being replaced the more consistent and reliable Jacob Murphy.
Joelinton
The 29-year-old has not been at his best lately, and the Brazilian was again outshone by his midfield partners.
Joelinton missed one big chance, and committed the most fouls of any player on the pitch, despite scoring the second goal of the game.
With the younger and more dynamic Jacob Ramsey on the bench, Howe may be inclined to give the 24-year-old a run in the team.
Nick Woltemade
Newcastle’s big summer arrival Nick Woltemade, is still yet to find a consistency in his game at the club.
The German only had 31 touches against Athletic Bilbao and was not heavily involved in the game despite his style being about dropping deep and linking up with his team mates.
The rotation of wingers around Woltemade may not be helping German, and Howe still needs to ensure he can get the best out of his striker every game.