Magpies too good for 'little Magpie' Mourinho's team

NEWCASTLE: Harvey Barnes scored twice after coming off the bench to help Newcastle inflict more Champions League pain on Jose Mourinho’s Benfica with a 3-0 win at St. James’ Park.

Anthony Gordon fired the Magpies in front as Benfica remain without a point in Europe’s elite competition this season.

Winger Barnes was introduced just after the hour mark and made a massive impact with two composed right-footed finishes to put Newcastle well on course to qualify from the league phase.

Eddie Howe’s men have bounced back from defeat to Barcelona in their opening game with two victories, including a 4-0 thrashing of Union Saint-Gilloise three weeks ago.

Newcastle climbed above Real Madrid and Barcelona to seventh in the Champions League standings.

“I think once we scored the second goal, you sort of saw the real us, what we can be,” said manager Howe.

“I thought we were excellent from that point onwards.”

Mourinho described himself as a “little Magpie” to the Portuguese press last month due to his respect for his mentor and former Newcastle boss Bobby Robson, who is immortalised by a statue at St. James’ Park.

Robson gave Mourinho his break by employing him on his coaching staff as a translator at Sporting Lisbon, Porto and Barcelona.

In 1999, Robson wanted the Portuguese to join him at Newcastle as an assistant manager, but Mourinho declined to begin his own managerial adventure the following year with his first spell at Benfica.

The Portuguese giants are the only side so far with three defeats from three Champions League games this season, but were left to rue not making more of their first-half chances.

“In the first half the result was totally undeserved. Then in the second half, with the second goal, it completely turned around and the result is more than fair,” said Mourinho.

“It is the difference in qualities between the two teams. They are more physical, more intense, faster and they have a bench with phenomenal players.”

Howe’s side have scored just seven times in eight league games to sit 14th in the table.

But they could contend for a top-eight finish in the Champions League to reach the last 16 automatically with games against Athletic Bilbao, Marseille, Bayer Leverkusen and PSV to come before a challenging final night trip to defending champions Paris Saint-Germain.

© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd

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