Every Newcastle United player that stepped out onto the pitch last night is a local hero. This team will go down in history for delivering a night few on Tyneside will ever forget.
But, while Miguel Almiron became the first Mag since Shearer to score in the Champions League, Dan Burn and Sean Longstaff lived out their Geordie dreams and Fabian Schar score a stunner in stoppage time, there’s one man who won’t make the headlines who deserves so much praise. Jamaal Lascelles.
With Sven Botman injured, he stepped in from the cold and was superb as we kept clean sheets against Man City and Burnley in our two previous games, but last night was his greatest performance in a black and white shirt and a moment he deserves after years of leadership and commitment to a club that was on its knees when he first arrived.
From calling out a group of mercenaries under Steve McClaren to starting at Burton in the Championship, he got his chance in the UEFA Champions League and took it with both hands. Not only did he captain the side to a historic win, he was absolutely outstanding.
The skipper came up against an attack worth almost half a billion in Kylian Mbappe, Goncalo Ramos, Randal Kolo Muani and Ousmane Dembele, yet he barely put a foot wrong. He won 100% of his tackles, didn’t lose an aerial duel all night, cut out what looked to be a dangerous counter with some aggressive defending in the first half and showed superb recovery pace on two occasions in the second 45.
The first saw him cover for Schar and ease Dembele off the ball just as the Frenchman burst into the box and his second key intervention was a huge tackle to stop Bradley Barcola getting in down the left.
A week after shutting out Pep Guardiola’s treble winners in another huge win at St James’ Park, he’s kept Mbappe quiet on a night that will go down in history.
A true captains performance and a leader through thick and thin, from the Championship to the Champions League. What a story. Well done, Jamaal!
I’ve always felt that Lascelles was better than his critics would have us believe, even in the days when the team was struggling and he was being singled out. It’s great to see someone giving him well deserved praise. There is no doubt that he has improved aspects of his game and I am pleased that he has taken his chance to impress so well.
There is some genuine competition at centre half, Botman might not get straight back into the team when fit!
Barry Hutton(Quote)
Yes🖤🤍 Love this and good for you for picking out Lascelles contribution both last night and since he’s come into the 1st team
GoWest!Mag(Quote)