Highlights of Premier League outfit Newcastle United’s latest pre-season outing have come to the fore online on Saturday evening.
Eddie Howe’s troops, like the rest of the English top-flight’s clubs, are currently in the process of stepping up preparations for the new campaign, set to get underway in less than a month’s time.
In turn, on Saturday, those members of the Magpies’ ranks to have returned from their summer vacations took part in a friendly fixture.
The clash in question took place at Newcastle’s Little Benton academy training base, with National League outfit Gateshead the opposition.
It should therefore come as little surprise to hear of the evening’s hosts ultimately running out comfortable victors, by an eventual scoreline of five goals to one.
A matchup which saw Eddie Howe field almost two entirely different XIs either side of the interval, and the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Chris Wood and summer signing Sven Botman watch on from the sidelines, was kicked into life just beyond the half-hour mark, upon Matt Ritchie opening the scoring.
Newcastle then doubled their advantage early in the 2nd-half of play, when a spot-kick won by Sean Longstaff was converted in emphatic fashion by Joelinton.
After Gateshead managed to pull one back, a double from the characteristically lively Miguel Almiron killed off any remaining hope of a comeback on the part of the visitors, before Sean Longstaff added some gloss to the scoreline in the final minute.
⚽️ Matt Ritchie
⚽️ Joelinton
⚽️ Miguel Almirón (2)
⚽️ Sean LongstaffAll the goals from this afternoon’s 5-1 pre-season friendly win over @GatesheadFC.
⚫️⚪️ pic.twitter.com/usqdxLQwML
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) July 9, 2022
Speaking on the back of the full-time whistle on Saturday, Eddie Howe was full of praise for his players:
The boss’ thoughts on this afternoon’s behind-closed-doors pre-season friendly against Gateshead.
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— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) July 9, 2022
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