Newcastle United make the trip to PSG on Tuesday night, knowing they need to return with points to stay alive in a hotly-contested Group F.
Group F is razor-thin, with only three points separating the top four sides heading into the last two rounds of play. Hosts PSG are currently occupying second place in the section with six points after four rounds ahead of the clash with Newcastle United, having relinquished the top spot following a 2-1 defeat at AC Milan.
However, Luis Enrique’s side have started to fire on all cylinders domestically, most recently making light work of title-rivals AS Monaco in a 5-2 thumping victory on Friday night to cement the summit position in Ligue 1.
The reigning French champions suffered a humiliating 4-1 defeat on Tyneside when these sides last met in the Champions League back in October, falling victim to the firestorm that is St. James’ Park.
However, PSG will fancy themselves on their own patch as they welcome an injury-hit Newcastle United for the reverse fixture in midweek, knowing a win could see them leapfrog Borussia Dortmund into first place in Group F.
Newcastle United, meanwhile, were in seventh heaven following their Champions League triumph over PSG on Matchday 2. But they have now been brought back down to Earth. The Magpies have tumbled to the bottom of the pool after two consecutive defeats to Borussia Dortmund despite the fact that they are still three points behind leaders Dortmund.
The Magpies are by no means down and out, though, and can still progress to the next round. Eddie Howe’s troops will certainly be in a confident mood after smashing Chelsea 4-1 in the Premier League on Saturday.
Team News & Tactics
Paris Saint-Germain
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The best of Sunday's training! ⚽️
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— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) November 26, 2023
Luis Enrique has a big list of absentees coming into this crucial UEFA Champions League encounter at home against Newcastle. Wonderkid Warren Zaire-Emery is the latest player to be sidelined, having recently been forced off during his senior international debut.
The 17-year-old is joined by Marco Asensio (foot), Keylor Navas (groin), Nuno Mendes (hamstring), Danilo Pereira (ankle), and Marquinhos (both hamstring) in the treatment room. Presnel Kimpembe (Achilles) is close to a return to fitness. But this game may come too soon for the out-of-favour centre-back to make an appearance.
Enrique will set up PSG in a 4-3-3 shape. Italian international Gianluigi Donnarumma made a dreadful mistake that led to an AS Monaco goal on Friday night, but his status as PSG’s number one is not in jeopardy, with Navas on the sidelines.
Nordi Mukiele was a surprise inclusion at left-back against AS Monaco last time out and could continue in the same role here, whereas attack-minded wing-back Achraf Hakimi will have the freedom to maraud forwards on the opposite flank.
The biggest test will be for the midfield trio of Vitinha, Manuel Ugarte, and Fabian Ruiz as PSG look to control the tempo up against an injury-ravaged but extremely physical Newcastle United midfield.
Of course, they will look to captain Kylian Mbappe for inspiration in attack on Tuesday night. But mercurial Ousmane Dembele and target-man Goncalo Ramos will also have to come up trumps in support of their talisman if they are to breach a rock-solid Newcastle defence.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Hakimi, Skriniar, Hernandez, Mukiele; Ruiz, Ugarte, Vitinha; Dembele, Ramos, Mbappe
Newcastle United
In the midst of an injury crisis, Eddie Howe’s side have been hit by another major injury blow, with Joe Willock (Achilles) set for another spell on the sidelines. Newcastle will be without key defenders Sven Botman (knee) and Dan Burn (back), who scored in the reverse fixture, for their trip to the French capital.
As well as missing key defenders, Newcastle will also be without important players in other areas of the pitch too, including Elliot Anderson (both back), Harvey Barnes (foot), Joe Willock (Achilles), Jacob Murphy (shoulder), Callum Wilson, and Matt Targett (both hamstring), while Sandro Tonali is suspended for the foreseeable future.
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— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) November 26, 2023
Sean Longstaff (ankle) also sat out the Chelsea game after being injured last time out against Bournemouth. But on-loan left-back Lewis Hall returns to the squad after being ineligible to face his parent club, Chelsea.
Howe was forced to name three goalkeepers on his bench for last Saturday’s game, while Michael Ndiweni, Ben Parkinson, Amadou Diallo, and Alex Murphy, who have just one Premier League appearance between them, have all been named on the bench. Paul Dummett and Matt Ritchie make up the last two slots. So there is no room to rotate his starting XI here.
Electric winger Anthony Gordon was involved in two goals in the 4-1 victory over Chelsea to take his season’s tally to five goals and three assists as he continues to prove doubters wrong. Alexander Isak’s return after the international break was certainly a welcome one for Howe’s side, as he bagged the opener against Chelsea. He will look to give PSG centre-backs something to think about here.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Pope; Trippier, Lascelles, Schar, Livramento; Longstaff, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Almiron, Isak, Gordon
Key Stats
- Newcastle United have won just one of their last five away matches.
- Paris Saint-Germain have lost six of their last eight matches against English outfits in the UEFA Champions League (W2), including each of the last two versus Manchester City (1-2) and Newcastle United (1-4).
- Following their 4-1 victory at St. James’ Park, Newcastle could become the first team to do a double over Paris Saint-Germain in a UEFA Champions League group stage campaign since CSKA Moscow in 2004/05.
- Paris Saint-Germain have lost two of their last three games in the UEFA Champions League (W1), including a defeat against AC Milan last time out.
- Newcastle are yet to find the back of the net away from home in the UEFA Champions League.
Player to Watch
Kylian Mbappe
It goes without saying that Kylian Mbappe will pose the biggest threat to the Newcastle United backline on Tuesday night. Now that Lionel Messi and Neymar have left, this season is Mbappe’s first in which he is undoubtedly the main man at Parc des Princes.
Having scored 16 goals in 16 appearances across all competitions, there is a feeling that this could be the year his numbers go truly stratospheric. The PSG talisman has hit the back of the net in eight of his last nine Champions League outings in front of his own supporters, and he will look to get in on the act again here.
Prediction
PSG 1-1 Newcastle United
This was always going to be the Group of Death, and it is turning out that way. The Magpies are in the midst of an injury crisis at the moment, and without the backing of the raucous St. James’ Park crowd, Eddie Howe’s depleted side will certainly be up against it at Parc des Princes.
While the Parisians have a track record of blowing teams away with ease, they may not have everything their way against a well-oiled Newcastle. The visitors have always been a tough nut to crack under Eddie Howe’s tutelage, and they are well capable of holding their own here and possibly grinding out a draw to live another day in the daunting Group F.
