Anthony Gordon smashes Newcastle records after Eddie Howe’s tactical masterstroke

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has challenged his players to make more history by reaching the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time.

Howe’s team face Qarabag at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium in Baku on this evening in the first leg of their play-off tie with a place in the business end of the competition at stake and head coach Howe, who led the club to their first major domestic trophy in 70 years by clinching last season’s Carabao Cup, is determined to write a new chapter.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, he said: “It means everything to us. The opportunity for us to get to the last 16 of this competition would be an incredible achievement.

“We’re trying to embrace it in that way and look at the excitement and the possibility rather than feel the burden of the pressure of the occasion.

“We want to turn these moments into history and into moments people talk about for a long time. There’s a real excitement with this game.”

Newcastle will head into the game without inspirational skipper Bruno Guimaraes, who is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, but his Brazil team-mate Joelinton provided Howe with a significant boost by boarding the plane following his recovery from a groin problem.

Howe, who revealed defender Emil Krafth has undergone knee surgery and is likely to miss the rest of the campaign, said: “Joelinton’s back in the squad, so that’s a great boost for us.

“He’s such an important player, such a big presence within our squad, such a real leader. He trained yesterday and trained well, and felt really good.”

Newcastle  will run out in Baku on the back of successive away victories over Tottenham in the Premier League and Aston Villa in the FA Cup having previously only managed only three wins on the road in all competitions this season.

A third would not only set them up perfectly for the second leg at St James’ Park next Tuesday, but also for Saturday’s intensely difficult league trip to Manchester City, against whom they were drawn – this time at home – in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Monday evening.

Howe said: “We will play our strongest team in the sense that we will try to win the game. There’ll be no thinking of the schedule ahead. This game in isolation is hugely important.”

Full team news on the way shortly.