Key events
15 min: After withstanding PSG’s early blitz down both flanks, Newcastle have got something of a foothold in the game. They could really do with a goal or two in this first half, as the longer the game goes on, the more fatigued their players are going to get. With little or nothing in the way of experienced back-up on their bench, they could really suffer in the final half-hour of this game, particularly after their exertions against Chelsea at the weekend.
14 min: Bruno Guimaraes eschews a shooting opportunity, choosing instead to try to pick out Miguel Almiron. Lee cleans up for PSG.
13 min: Almiron does brilliantly to rob Hakimi of the ball deep inside his own half and tee up Isak at the near post. The Newcastle striker is unable to hit the target from seven yards and fires over the bar. That was a great chance but it’s been wasted.
12 min: PSG corner. Lee takes it short to Dembele but he’s unable to get past Anthony Gordon. Newcastle break upfield.
9 min: Kolo Muani is sent clear, galloping up the right flank after Tino Livramento had been caught out by Achraf Hakimi. He sends a low cross into the penalty area, where Mbappe tries to flick the ball past Pope. Nick Pope saves with his legs.
9 min: Anthony Gordon wins a free-kick for his team just inside the Newcastle half, going down under a shove in the back from Dembele.
7 min: Newcastle attack on the break, with Miley, Alexander Isak and Miguel ALmiron all getting on the ball. A vaguely promising move breaks down when the teenager is unable to keep a slightly wayward pass from going out of play.
6 min: Fabian Schar is forced to sprint across and slide in with a covering tackle to put a Hachraf Akimi ball down the right flank towards Dembele out for a throw-in. Newcastle are seriously under the cosh already.
4 min: Ousmane Dembele sends a cross towards the far post but Lee is unable to connect cleanly with his volley towards the bottom corner from the edge of the six-yard box. The ball pops up in the air following his scuffed effort and Fabian Ruiz shoots the bouncing ball over the bar.
3 min: It’s a big, big night for 17-year-old Lewis Miley in Newcastle’s midfield and he gets a couple of early touches to settle any early nerves.
1 min: Jamal Lascelles is called into action to clear two early crosses from the left-hand side as PSG set out their stall within the first 50 seconds. Lee Kang-in and Kylian Mbappe are looking dangerous early doors.
Paris Saint-Germain v Newcastle United is go …
1 min: With drums banging loudly in the stands, PSG get the ball rolling against their visitors on Szymon Marciniak’s whistle. They lump the ball forward and Newcastle quickly clear their lines.
Not long now: With everything to play for in Group F, the players of both sides march out into the Parisienne night, led by referee Szymon Marciniak and his team of match officials. They line up for the Champions League anthem and kick-off is just a few minutes and an exchange of pennants between Kylian Mbappe and Jamal Lascelles among other pre-match formalities away.
Luis Enrique: “If you saw the last match against Chelsea, physically it’s really incredible,” said PSG’s coach as he discussed tonight’s opponents. “Six players are putting on so much pressure, they can pressurise eight players at the same time. This intensity in their game and this pressure is something that we need to be prepared for.
“The competition could be really short, it is a very complicated group and the ranking is really close, as you see. It’s true that now every game is decisive, it’s knockout style. Two teams could be qualified already tomorrow night depending on the results, so until the last day, we don’t know. I’m sure that my team is ready, though, ready to play, to be competitive on the pitch and that’s what we’ve been proving throughout the entire season.”
Eddie Howe: “We need to play on the edge,” said Newqcastle’s manager in his pre-match press conference. “Every team is at their best when they have that emotion running through them and we need that energy because this is the defining moment of our Champions League campaign.
“We are fully aware of where we are and what we need to do. Our defensive structure and resilience has been good this season, so we need it to be every ounce as good as that against PSG.
“Fear of failure is a motivating factor in my career — losing doesn’t sit comfortably, no matter what the occasion and of course that applies to this game.”
Elsewhere in Group F: AC Milan host Group leaders Borussia Dortmund at the San Siro. If the Italian side win and Newcastle lose, Eddie Howe’s men will be out of the Champions League and unable to achieve the third place finish that would see them drop into the Europa League knockout stages.
That Newcastle line-up: Suffering from whatever the polar opposite of a selection headache is, Eddie Howe has named the exact same team that started against Chelsea on Saturday. Allowed to name nine substitutes in the Champions Leaguehe has picked just seven players for his bench. Two of them are goalkeepers and four of the remaining five are teenagers. Three of those youngsters – James Huntley, Michael Ndiweni and Ben Parkinson – have just two senior appearances between them for the club. Not one of Newcastle’s substitutes is an attacker.
Paris Saint-Germain v Newcastle line-ups
Paris Saint Germain: Donnarumma, Hakimi, Skriniar, Danilo, Hernandez, Ruiz, Ugarte, Lee, Dembele, Kolo Muani, Mbappe.
Subs: Letellier, Tenas, Goncalo Ramos, Asensio, Vitinha, Mukiele, Soler, Barcola.
Newcastle United: Pope; Trippier, Lascelles, Schar, Livramento; Joelinton, Miley, Guimaraes; Almiron, Isak, Gordon.
Subs: Dubravka, Karius, Dummett, Hall, Huntley, Ndiweni, Parkinson.
Trouble in Paris: Newcastle fans have been encouraged to stick together to stay safe in the French capital after trouble flared briefly in the buildup to Tuesday’s Champions League game.
Tonight’s match officials
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Referee: Szymon Marciniak
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Assistant referees: Tomasz Listkiewicz and Adam Kupsik
Fourth official: Paweł Raczkowski
WAS: Tomasz Kwiatkowski
Assistant VAR: Ivan Duck
Group F permutations
Following back-to-back defeats at the hands of Borussia Dortmund, Newcastle must avoid defeat in Paris to keep their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages alive. Should Eddie Howe’s side beat their hosts, they will overtake their hosts and would sit second or third in the group depending on the outcome of tonight’s game between AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund at the San Siro.
Currently three points Borussia Dortmund in the table, Newcastle can’t overtake them tonight as Champions League rules dictate they would miss out due to head-to-head results between the two sides.
A draw would still keep Newcastle in contention for qualification for the knockout stages ahead what would be a must-win final group game against Milan at St James’ Park. Defeat tonight will make it impossible for them to progress as they would be unable to overtake either Dortmund or PSG, whatever the outcome of their match against Milan. Even if they lose tonight, Newcastle could still drop into the knockout stages of the Europa League by finishing third in the group. However, if they lose and Milan beat Borussia Dortmund, Newcastle’s Euroean dream is over for the season.
Early team news
It was a decidedly decimated Newcastle squad that touched down in Paris, with no fewer than 11 first team regulars and fringe players sidelined through injury or suspension.
Sandro Tonali continues his suspension for a breach of betting regulations, while – deep breath – Jacob Murphy (shoulder), Dan Burn (back), Callum Wilson (thigh), Elliott Anderson (back), Sven Botman (knee), Harvey Barnes (ankle), Sean Longstaff (ankle), Joe Willock (calf), Javier Manquillo (groin) and Matt Targett (thigh) are all spending more time than they would like in the physio room.
While Newcastle were able to field a team strong enough to hammer Chelsea on Saturday, they were so low on numbers Eddie Howe was forced to name three goalkeepers and several young academy graduates among his substitutes in order to take the bare look off his bench.
PSG boss Luis Enrique has injury issues of his own to deal with and is still reeling from the loss of his teenage midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery to an ankle injury during the international break. The prodigious 17-year-old joins Marco Asensio, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, Danilo Pereira and Presnel Kimbembe in the French side’s collection of the lame and halt.
Group F: Paris Saint-Germain v Newcastle United
Tonight’s Gulf State derby in Paris isn’t necessarily must-win for Newcastle United but it is certainly must-not-lose if the Saudi owned side are to maintain any hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of the first Champions League they have played in for 20 years.
Back-to-back defeats at the hands of Borussia Dortmund have left Newcastle bottom of Group F but a win at the Parc Des Princes will take them above their hosts, right back in the qualification mix with one game to go.
Despite having 12 players missing through injury or suspension, those available to Eddie Howe managed to pull off an impressive victory over Chelsea at the weekend. It remains to be seen how much of a toll the collective physical effort that laid the foundations for that emphatic victory will take on his side when they face the French champions. Kick-off in Paris is at 8pm (GMT) but stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.
