Eddie Howe challenges Newcastle to back up impressive Champions League display | OneFootball

Eddie Howe hopes Newcastle can back up their 3-0 Champions League win over Benfica with similar performances in domestic matches.

The Magpies earned their second win in the competition with a comprehensive victory against Jose Mourinho’s Portuguese side after Anthony Gordon opened the scoring before substitute Harvey Barnes struck twice.

Victory comes on the back of a frustrating defeat to Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday, and with a home clash with Fulham this weekend being quickly followed by a Carabao Cup tie with Tottenham and a trip to West Ham, Howe hopes his team can carry over their European form.

He said: “It wasn’t an easy game that’s for sure. They’ve got a manager who’s been there and done everything in the game.

“We knew today was a difficult game and especially off the back of Saturday’s result for us that ramped the pressure on. We had to handle that.

“That’s why the win and the way that we won was really pleasing and hopefully we can take that into our next few games because we’re going to need to back it up.

“One game in isolation in the Champions League means nothing. Now it’s all about the next few games.”

Newcastle took the lead when Gordon fired home just after the half-hour mark from Jacob Murphy’s cross.

Barnes then came off the bench and doubled Newcastle’s lead after racing on to Nick Pope’s incredible throw launched into the Benfica half and slotting home.

He then wrapped up victory with seven minutes of normal time remaining after beating goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin following fine link-up play between Gordon and Nick Woltemade.

Newcastle have scored eight goals in three Champions League games compared to seven in eight Premier League matches.

In the Champions League, Gordon has four goals while Barnes took his tally to three but neither have netted in the Premier League this season.

Howe said: “It’s a head scratcher for me as well. We know their qualities, we know they’re goalscorers.

“We know how good a player they are, and that goes for another good few players in our squad as well.

“Everyone’s pointing to the fact that we haven’t been scoring enough in the Premier League, but when you see us play like this, how we attacked and the number of chances we created, it’s a difficult one for us to work out.

“All we can do is return to the Premier League with the same attitude. If the attitude is there, the quality will show.”

Defeat is Benfica’s third straight loss in the Champions League and boss Mourinho admitted Newcastle’s second goal killed the game.

He said: “They brought their enthusiasm in set-pieces, which is normal.

“When you have a team of giants, you know that every set-piece, throw in, lateral free-kick, corner, you know that is a dramatic moment for the opponent and it was the only moment where they brought that enthusiasm and that pressure to the opponent.

“We felt very comfortable in the first half. In the second half, the second goal kills the game and then after that, it was easy for Newcastle to play, easy for the fans to enjoy.”