Tonight’s game away to Belgian Champions, Union SG, is a huge fixture for Newcastle United.

Eddie Howe’s side have endured a difficult start to the campaign, taking just six points from six league fixtures, and despite progressing in the Carabao Cup, lost to Barcelona in the opening Champions League fixture.

Now, United must try to end a shocking European away record that stretches back 13 years to kickstart this season’s form away from home.

Newcastle must end long wait for European away win

Newcastle United haven’t won in a European away fixture since Metalist Kharkiv during the 2012/13 season. The first knockout round of the old UEFA Cup saw United head to Ukraine with nothing from the first leg as Metalist put in a dogged performance at St. James’ Park to secure a 0-0 draw.

Away goals still counted double then, so United had somewhat of an advantage heading into the second leg in Kharkiv, as it would probably only take one goal to settle the tie, but the team had to endure mounting pressure during the final half an hour to see out a steely win.

Shola Ameobi’s 63rd-minute penalty was enough to see the game through, but according to many old match reports, ‘it was the quality and commitment of the visitors’ defending that ultimately proved decisive.’

It was a Newcastle side that contained the likes of Danny Simpson, Sylvain Marveaux, and Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa alongside some of the better quality players at the time, including Yohan Cabaye, Papiss Cisse, and Fabricio Coloccini.

It’s also a side that pales in comparison to the current United crop and it’s a record that the lads need to confine to the history books if Newcastle are to achieve anything this season in Europe. Interestingly, the game in 2013 was refereed by a Belgian – an omen perhaps, for a 1-0 win tonight via a penalty for United?

Away wins needed soon 

Tonight’s match is also a huge opportunity for United to start righting its current away form. The side needs to prove it can still be a threat away from home after firing three successive blanks at Villa, Leeds, and Bournemouth.

All of those games were poor for various reasons (however, not having a shot in the second half against the Cherries was particularly poor) but getting a win away from home would be big in the context of our season as a whole and our away form over an extended period but especially last season.

The only sides United beat away from home last year (in the Premier League) were the bottom six sides, and with United already lagging behind in league position and points, that is a record that will have to change if this season is to be as successful as we all hope it can be.

Eddie Howe appears to have turned us into a very defensive side away from home, which in the main, I don’t actually have a problem with, but you still have to offer some threat going forward and that has been sorely lacking away from home and across the board so far this season.

So, if United can banish the Metal Kharkiv result to the history books and get a massive win in Belgium this evening, it has the potential to doubly kickstart our current away form and our Champions League campaign.

HWTL