Newcastle United 2–0 Athletic Club: Burn and Joelinton Head Eddie Howe’s Side to Third Straight Champions League Win
Newcastle United continued their fine European form with a 2–0 victory over Athletic Club at St James’ Park on Wednesday night, making it three successive Champions League wins and five consecutive home victories in all competitions.
Headers from Dan Burn and Joelinton in either half sealed the win, lifting Eddie Howe’s side to sixth place in the overall group stage standings. At the halfway point of the 36-team Champions League phase, the Magpies sit narrowly inside the top eight automatic qualification spots for the last 16 — ahead of Real Madrid and Liverpool on goal difference — and six points clear of the cut-off for the top 24.
After a 2–1 defeat to Barcelona on Matchday One, Newcastle have responded impressively, recording emphatic victories over Union Saint-Gilloise (4–0), Benfica (3–0), and now Athletic Club (2–0).
Eddie Howe Reacts to Newcastle’s Winning Momentum
Speaking after the match, head coach Eddie Howe praised his side’s resilience and mental focus.
“I think they’re all very difficult games, but today we navigated it really well — especially after the weekend. Three wins in a row, strong performances at home, and we’re in a good position,” Howe said.
Howe described Dan Burn’s opener as a standout moment:
“It was an incredible header from Dan. I’d like to see it again to know exactly how far out he was. From where I was standing, it looked in from the moment he struck it. It was a really well-worked routine — credit to everyone involved.”
Burn’s header from Kieran Trippier’s pinpoint free-kick gave Newcastle an early lead, before Joelinton sealed the win in the second half with another powerful header.
Injury Concerns for Anthony Gordon
The victory, however, was not without setbacks. Newcastle suffered an injury blow as Anthony Gordon was substituted before half-time with a hip issue, while William Osula missed the game entirely due to an ankle problem.
Gordon had also been withdrawn at half-time during Sunday’s clash with West Ham United, with Howe confirming the winger had aggravated an existing injury.
“I’ve not spoken to him yet or had a full report from the medical team,” Howe explained. “It seems like a recurrence of the hip injury that’s been troubling him in recent weeks. We’ll assess it and see what damage has been done.”
The England international first picked up a hip problem on international duty back in March, and Howe could not confirm whether this was the same issue.
The setback places Gordon’s availability in doubt for Sunday’s Premier League trip to Brentford (2pm) and potentially for the November international break.
“It felt similar to his Carabao Cup final goal moment against Liverpool,” Howe added when reflecting on Burn’s strike. “A strong header from distance — power, direction, and a brilliant moment for him.”
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