A sublime second-half performance saw us secure a huge three points in the Champions League with a 3-0 win over Jose Mourinho’s Benfica.

Looking to bounce back from our recent trip to Brighton, Anthony Gordon opened the scoring and Harvey Barnes grabbed a brace off the bench to cap off one of our best performances of the season so far.

The result takes us up to six points in the league phase, and will give us some much needed momentum heading into Saturday afternoon’s Premier League clash at home to Fulham.

Here’s what Eddie Howe had to say after the huge win, discussing the performance, a big night for our wingers, Pope’s heroics and how the result leaves us in the Champions League:

On a big win and brilliant display

After a cagey first half, in which both us and Benfica enjoyed good spells of possessions and chances, the second half was all us, with Harvey Barnes’ first goal being the pivotal moment in the eyes of Howe.

“Good performance. Even first half, we created some good chances but had to be patient for the first goal. We scored three great goals and looked a constant threat in the game. Delighted with the win. It’s a massive result. 

“Benfica are a really good team, so we had to show our qualities today. I thought we were patient initially because we had chances and didn’t score early, but we kept at it.

“And once you saw the second goal, you saw the real us and what we can be: I thought we were excellent from that point. We haven’t quite clicked into gear yet this season. Hopefully that’s the start of what we can be.

“I think it is that kind of game that we have to take forward into our next few games that we’ve got coming up. I thought that’s the level that we want to be at.

“We’ve been threatening, I think, to put a performance like that together. It’s a good night for us.”

And once more, Howe took the time to express his praise for the defence, as we recorded yet another clean sheet with Sven Botman and Malick Thiaw in the heart of the defence.

“Defensively we’ve been solid. I don’t take that for granted, it’s so important.

“Our last Premier League was a bit of a blip for us, because mostly this season we’ve been good in that respect.”

On much-improved display from three wingers

Once again, Anthony Gordon showed that when the spotlight was on him, he can deliver. It was another Man of the Match-worthy display from the England international, as he became the first player in our club’s history to score in three consecutive games of European football.

And Gordon wasn’t the only winger who showed signs of major improvement, as Murphy looked back to his creative best with his opening assist, and Barnes looked incredibly clinical as an impact sub.

“Yeah really pleased with all of them. Anthony (Gordon) was outstanding tonight, he looked a real threat all game. He was dynamic and very aggressive, positive. Athletically he was excellent; he put in a big effort, on and off the ball.

“Murph(y) has always sort of been an assist threat, today I felt he was absolutely that. Some of the deliveries he put in were very very good.

“Really pleased for Harvey (Barnes) to come on and get the two that he did, and off the right hand side which shows his versatility.”

Howe is now just wondering what can be done to get all of his winger options, including Anthony Elanga, to perform at this high a level in Premier League games.

“It’s a head-scratcher for me. We know what good players they are. When you see us play like we did tonight, and attack like that, it’s a difficult one to work out.”

“I think it’ll do those three players in particular the world of good.”

On THAT Nick Pope assist

For most of the season, Nick Pope has produced some of the best saves and shot stopping performances of his entire Toon career.

But no fan could have expected to see such fantastic distribution on display from the goalkeeper tonight: a tremendous long throw following on from a Benfica corner flew into the opposition third, was picked up by Barnes who slotted home the second.

Even Howe was amazed and insisted that they hadn’t been planning such a successful counter attack

“I’m not sure I can take too much credit for that. We are working on certain things with Nick on his distribution, like throwing is a big strength of his actually. I wouldn’t say that was necessarily what we worked on.”

“But he is a very very good goalkeeper, and he’s showed that today: from corners, the little bits he had to do, I thought he did really well. And of course distribution is so important in the modern game.”

On current Champions League position

With the Benfica win, we’ve moved into the top eight in the league for the time being, and will remain in at least the play-off spots once Wednesday’s results have come in.

And Howe seemed a tad relieved that we have navigated a difficult game with such ease, and got that long-awaited home UCL win that we haven’t enjoyed for over two years.

“(It’s looking) Little bit better. I think an important win for us today, at home in the competition after Barcelona, we know that home games are so important.

“We couldn’t waste time elevating ourselves after that defeat against Barcelona, so really pleased with the two games.”