Eddie Howe’s side were at their best against Manchester City and now face another tough Champions League challenge
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe celebrates against Manchester City(Image: Richard Lee/Shutterstock)
I sat through three days of rioting and violence in Marseille when England met Tunisia at their opening game of the 1998 World Cup. The city was a powderkeg, only one extra stray bottle away from total disaster.
During much happier times a Geordie and former Newcastle United star Chris Waddle became a local hero in the same city and remains a revered legend to this day whenever he returns to France’s south coast.
And who can forget Didier Drogba announcing himself on the global stage by scoring both goals that took Marseille to the UEFA Cup final of 2004 at our expense. Sir Bobby’s side included Alan Shearer, Shay Given, Gary Speed, Laurent Robert and Shola Ameobi.
Now we’re back in the Champions League no less. Refreshed and rejuvenated after thoroughly deserving to down Manchester City with a display of the old passion and persistence that is our hallmark in heady days.
It was supposed to be the match when Erling Haaland scored his 100th PL goal to beat one of Alan Shearer’s records on the big man’s treasured turf, but instead the goalscoring laurels went to Harvey Barnes, who isn’t sure if he wants to be English or Scottish but knows for certain he is a winger who can finish with the accuracy of Robin Hood’s arrow. He did it not once but twice.
Legendary goalscorer Malcolm Macdonald once wrote a book entitled Never Afraid To Miss. Barnes must have read it before bed on Friday night. He missed twice in the first half but went where some men are afraid to go again and scored twice in the second.
We have been demanding that someone must take some of the load off Nick Woltemade by going beyond into the penalty area and sharing the goals threat. Well Barnes now has six goals in all competitions this campaign, the same total as our German man up top.
A fortnight of doom and gloom stewing on shocking away results and performances was swept aside with the best display of the season and now we march on, admittedly with tired limbs and minds to try and raise another gallop towards respectability.
Things have naturally changed from when we rocked up in the French port.
Mason Greenwood is the new Waddle, their English glamour boy; Eddie Howe the adopted Geordie replacing Robson; Joelinton the black-and-white midfield powerhouse like Gary Speed; Harvey Barnes the successor to Robert.
United travel with a strong Champions League record but a poor Premier League away return. Yes we won at Union in Belgium under a Euro flag but this will be a totally different, sterner challenge not least because of Marseille’s fan support.
However it’s lovely to have our two young vibrant and talented full-backs Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall in harness – how we’ve missed them – while we continue to marvel at Malick Thiaw, treasure golden oldie Fabian Schar, and heave a sigh of relief at Sandro Tonali raising his bar again. Bruno is, well, made for these sort of games. He wears a massive heart on his sweat-stained sleeve, rests a real talent on his shield.
May this side not go into hiding again please. We can’t stand the pain or understand the reason!
Former Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi’s Marseille have won just one of their four Champions League games to date scoring four goals without reply at home to Ajax.
Suffering 2-1 defeats at Real Madrid and Sporting Lisbon, Marseille lost 1-0 at home to Atalanta last time out. In the league however they are flying.
The French club have shown a readiness to provide food, drink and housing for a succession of former Premier League forwards who left out shores under controversial circumstances.
Apart from Greenwood with his troubles at Man U they have given shelter to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who fell out spectacularly with Mikel Arteta at Arsenal and motormouth Neil Maupay once of Brentford, Brighton and Everton.
Those last two are fading, especially Maupay who has almost disappeared, whereas Greenwood is back on the rise scoring a bagful of goals.
This is a week when we can capitalise on the super Man City result by banishing away-day blues with chances at Marseille and Everton. It has been an up and down season but we need a few more ups and many less downs.
- United have lost another of their former officials so soon after the death of Russell Cushing who served faithfully for 36 years. One-time assistant secretary Alastair Garvie has passed away. A good local cricketer, Alistair’s main claim to fame was as Paul Gascoigne’s first agent negotiating his £2.2m transfer to Spurs which put Gazza on the road to world fame.
