Instant Newcastle United fan/writer reaction after Marseille 2 Newcastle 1 | OneFootball

Marseille 2 Newcastle 1 – Tuesday 25 November 2025 8pm

Instant fan/writer reaction from some of our regular contributors on The Mag.

Such a disappointing goal to give away straight after half time and then they quickly get the second.

We had chances, their keeper had a good game.

We played well, an away Champions League game and imo didn’t deserve to lose but that early second half goal just changed the game.

Heads held high and the lads, although tired from Saturday, still did us proud.’

Billy Miller:

‘We just can’t string wins together.

We weren’t awful today but a poor few minutes in the second half cost us.

We barely tested a half blindfolded goalkeeper despite our pressure in the later stages.

Eighth tonight but extremely likely to drop below that after the rest of the matches are played.

We’ll need to win at least two of our last three to have a chance of automatic qualification.

Hopefully that first Premier League away win will arrive on Saturday.’

Matt Busby said…:

‘I enjoyed that.

The referee was very good. The commentator and his assistant were pretty decent. It was end to end and I thought we played well.

Okay, obviously disappointing to lose, especially after being ahead at the interval, then within five minutes of the restart, have fallen behind, but we gave a good account of ourselves, created chances and on another night, might have nicked a point.

I’m not going to pile on Pope for that error that led to their equaliser, he was after all being praised for his foresight in coming out to close down Haaland on Saturday, but what does sum up his mediocrity is that free-kick he took in the 96th that went straight to one of their players. “Just one time, can he not find one of his own players”, I shouted at the telly with a bemused looking whippet sat on my knee thinking “what’s he on about”?

Tonali looked off the boil but Willock looked lively and so did Ramsey. Even Elanga showed some promise when he entered the fray.

Marseilles is a tough place to go to. But at least we’re going to places like that these days.

Need a reaction at the Bramley Apple.’

David Punton:

‘A nice away day on the French Riviera for the fans, shame about the match.

A winning position thrown away with five minutes of absolute madness in the second half, not least a major blunder by Nick Pope.

It was always going to be really tough going here, they’re a decent side and it’s an iconic stadium.

We come away losing narrowly but the away form is such a concern. Four consecutive losses on the road now. Even when we take the lead you fear for us. It has to be addressed.

The manager banked some major credit with the win over Man City and then his team selection tonight seemed baffling. I would have gone unchanged from the weekend.

The form of Gordon and Elanga are major concerns too.

A dispiriting night all round. This season was never going to be as good as last though.’

Greg McPeake:

‘When you rely on internet for your TV you have got issues when it plays up.

Had to leg it to the local boozer so missed the first ten minutes. Wish I’d missed the first ten of the second half.

Thinking my lad could be right. Time for Pope to go. Disaster masterclass after a good first half performance.’

Tony Mallabar:

‘Things that are guaranteed in life – death, taxes and Nick Pope not being in between the sticks on Saturda.

Maybe just maybe play a proper centre forward away from hyem.’

Jamie Smith:

‘We should be talking about a promising and solid performance which, had it returned even a point, would have been a decent outcome and left us on course for the top 8.

Nick Pope’s error has, in my opinion, cost us all 3 points.

It was utterly ludicrous and it feels like every defeat has one key goalkeeping mistake.

Enough of the fan base were pushing for Ramsdale before tonight but Howe is inviting massive pressure on himself if he doesn’t make the change for Everton.

Massively sickening result.’

Simon Ritter:

‘So many sloppy passes, far more than on Saturday, cost us the chance of what would have been a priceless win in Marseille.

Our normally reliable central midfielders lost possession over and over again, allowing the hosts to attack almost at will.

Surrendering the ball in the attacking half is bad enough. Losing it in your defensive half is always likely to undo you.

Two high-class finishes by Aubameyang were the difference, though we struggled to control the game from about 15 minutes in.’

Mark Jankowski:

‘Five minutes of utter madness at the start of the second half cost Newcastle a valuable win on the road in the Champions League.

We had put in an excellent first half performance, if maybe a little wasteful with our final ball, and probably should have had a bit bigger lead than the single goal we held at half-time.

Unfortunately, Newcastle came out in the second half sleepwalking and a moment of madness from Nick Pope, rushing out of his goal when the excellent Malick Thiaw seemed to have the situation under control, allowed Aubameyang to astutely finish into an empty goal.

Newcastle’s heads seemed to be a little bit rattled after that and we quickly conceded a few big chances with Aubameyang again catching a Newcastle player unaware, when he flashed across the face of Fabian Schär, to tuck in for two nil.

Newcastle still had chances in the second half but we didn’t get the reward our efforts deserved.

It was a night where we probably should have taken a point on the balance of play, but have come away empty-handed. We are still in a strong position in the league phase, but the chances of a top eight finish, and a valuable round off, look like they might be fading.’

Marseille 2 Newcastle 1 – Tuesday 25 November 2025 8pm

Match Stats

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Barnes 6

Marseille:

Aubameyang 46, 50

Possession was Newcastle 43% Marseille 57%

Total shots were Newcastle 20 Marseille 18

Shots on target were Newcastle 9 Marseille 7

Corners were Newcastle 5 Marseille 11

Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 31 Marseille 26

Newcastle team v Marseille:

Pope, Livramento (Hall 60), Thiaw, Schar (Elanga 61), Burn, Willock (Ramsey 72), Bruno, Tonali, Barnes, Gordon (Woltemade 72), Murphy (Miley 60)