Eddie Howe had reason to be wary. Up against a young hotshot coach and his high-flying Belgian champions, Newcastle’s manager must have felt a certain pressure at kick-off.
Given Newcastle were still coming to terms with the departure of Alexander Isak and had been struggling for form, a balmy early October night in Brussels seemed far from the ideal time or place to meet Sébastian Pocognoli’s vibrant Union Saint‑Gilloise.
