On a night that saw Newcastle United’s attack take lift off against Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in the Champions League, former Magpie Shay Given hit back at Bayern Munich chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge’s bizarre recent dig.
Howe: USG win a "big step" for Newcastle
Following a difficult start to their Premier League season, which was summed up by a last-gasp defeat against Arsenal last time out, Newcastle needed a good night in the Champions League. The pressure was certainly on, too. The Magpies entered their game against USG as the clear favourites and simply needed to deliver.
Goals from Nick Woltemade and Anthony Gordon quickly eased any fears about a potential upset, however, and the latter then scored his second penalty of the evening before Harvey Barnes rounded off a fine evening in which all of Eddie Howe’s attacking players shone.
Pleased with his side, the Newcastle boss spoke after the match: “Hopefully, it helps us when we return to the Premier League because we’ve been waiting for a performance like that where, really, we looked like we could score at any moment.
“It wasn’t a perfect performance, there’s things we can improve, but it was a big step in the right direction. It was an important stage as well in the Champions League because, as I said before, we have to start well.
“These competitions are so high, and the demands are so big on us that if we’re slow starters, we could leave ourselves too much to do. So, I certainly leave here in a lot healthier, positive frame of mind, and I’m looking forward to the next game.”
Up next for the Magpies is the visit of Nottingham Forest and Ange Postecoglou in a game that may see Woltemade score his fourth goal for the club to continue an impressive start.
Shay Given hits back at "idiot" Woltemade claim
It’s fair to say that some in Bavaria have been left with a sour taste after Newcastle signed Woltemade ahead of Bayern Munich in the summer. Ex-Bayern chief and current board supervisor Rummenigge even went as far as to say: “We shouldn’t fulfil every demand to make someone happy, especially the financiers at VfB Stuttgart.
“I can only congratulate those in Stuttgart for finding – I’ll use quotation marks here – an idiot who paid that much money. Because we certainly wouldn’t have done that in Munich!”
Of course, that “idiot” has now seen the towering forward score three times in six games in all competitions to make £69m look like a “cheap” deal as far as former Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given is concerned.
“For a man of six foot six, Woltemade’s technical ability is impressive. He’d already scored twice with his head this season, and now he’s showing he’s comfortable with his feet as well.
“And we spoke before about Bayern Munich, saying he’s a lot of money, but maybe it’s actually going to be a cheap 65 million deal.” (Shay Given on Woltemade)
With Forest up next, Woltemade has the chance to continue the form that earned him a move to St James’ Park in the first place and the type that will continue to prove any doubters wrong.