‘Unbelievable’ – Newcastle fans rave about ‘exceptional’ Malick Thiaw as full stats emerge
Newcastle fans have urged Eddie Howe to start new boy Malick Thiaw after his lively cameo in the Champions League against Barcelona.
Newcastle lost to Barcelona in their opening fixture in the Champions League after Marcus Rashford netted a brace in a 2-1 loss.
The Englishman guided a header into the net for his first goal, before adding a spectacular second strike from long range.
Howe opted to start with Fabian Schar and Dan Burn at the back, despite Sven Botman being involved in full training ahead of the tie.
But it was new signing Thiaw who caught the attention of the supporters after replacing Schar, who was forced off with a head injury.
Malick Thiaw impresses after Newcastle substitute
Thiaw joined Newcastle in the summer window from AC Milan, but the defender is still waiting to make his first start for the club.
So far, he has made just a nine-minute cameo against Liverpool, while he was an unused substitute in the other three games.
However, he was handed an opportunity after he came on for Schar in the 63rd minute, and the German showcased his quality. He looked composed on the ball with several turns under pressure, whilst making two clearances and winning two ground duels.
| Statistics | Malick Thiaw |
| Minutes played | 27′ |
| Ground duels (won) | 5 (2) |
| Clearances | 2 |
| Interceptions | 1 |
A centre-back was on the club’s list of priorities, and a move for Thiaw was accelerated after Football Insider had revealed that top target Marc Guehi would prefer a move to Liverpool and would likely turn down the Magpies.
Still, the German international arrived with high expectations. He played a key role for AC Milan last term, developing a strong partnership with former Chelsea man Fikayo Tomori as the side finished eighth.
Newcastle fans call for ‘unbelievable’ Malick Thiaw to start
With Schar likely to be rested after suffering a head injury, there is a chance for Thiaw to make his first start when the side face Bournemouth on 21 September.
Newcastle splashed £35 million for Thiaw in the summer, and many expected him to form a natural partnership with Botman at the heart of defence.
Following his latest performance, supporters are convinced that the new signing should be given an opportunity.
One fan reacted to his display with: “Our goal came from Thiaw and Botman actually being able to play football from the back by the way. Need to see them playing more…” with another adding “Thiaw looks very good comfortable on the ball and needs to come in for Sunday’s game”.