Newcastle Vs Qarabag Fk — newcastle vs qarabag fk confirmed line‑up and match preview

Newcastle host Qarabağ in the Champions League play-offs for a last‑16 spot, with the tie all but settled after the visitors conceded heavily in the first leg. newcastle vs qarabag fk matters now because Newcastle made six changes to field a rotated XI and a young defender, Alex Murphy, is making his first full start in the competition.

Newcastle make early statement: Tonali and Joelinton move the tie to 8-1

Newcastle raced into a two‑goal lead inside the opening stages, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton getting the early goals that left the scoreline 2-0 on the night and 8-1 on aggregate. Before the second leg kicked off, Newcastle held a 6-1 advantage from last week’s first leg in Baku, where Anthony Gordon scored four goals and Malick Thiaw and Jacob Murphy also found the net.

Newcastle Vs Qarabag Fk: confirmed line-up and Murphy's full Newcastle bow

Alex Murphy will make his full Newcastle bow in this Champions League meeting, starting at St. James' Park for his first outing in the competition. The Galway‑born, 21‑year‑old Republic of Ireland under‑21 international has made six appearances so far — all from the bench, four of them this season — including a debut as a late substitute against Chelsea in the Premier League in November 2023, plus two further league substitute appearances, two Carabao Cup appearances and one FA Cup outing. He spent the second half of last season on loan with Bolton Wanderers.

Eddie Howe made six changes to the side narrowly beaten at Manchester City at the weekend. The starting XI named was: Aaron Ramsdale; Kieran Trippier (captain); Sven Botman; Joelinton; Sandro Tonali; Harvey Barnes; William Osula; Jacob Murphy; Nick Woltemade; Dan Burn; Alex Murphy. Substitutes listed were Nick Pope, John Ruddy, Aidan Harris, Lewis Hall, Yoane Wissa, Anthony Gordon, Anthony Elanga, Joe Willock, Leo Shahar and Sean Neave. There are three keepers on the bench — Nick Pope, John Ruddy and Aidan Harris — while Leo Shahar remained on standby. Sean Neave, who made his debut late on in the first leg, was noted as looking to get more action. The goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale came in for Nick Pope and Kieran Trippier captained the side; Jacob Murphy marked his 251st appearance after scoring the final goal in last week's tie and was noted as being 31 today. Anthony Gordon, who scored four in Azerbaijan and celebrates his 25th birthday, was named on the bench; Malick Thiaw, who also scored in Baku, was suspended.

Howe's comments on rotation, fitness and the club's Champions League aims

Eddie Howe set out the selection thinking, saying the team would be chosen to try to win the game while balancing rotation and keeping players fresh, and that maintaining rhythm was a priority. On fitness, Howe expressed hope that Sven Botman and Yoane Wissa would be involved and that the staff would assess them when they woke the next day. Reflecting on the club's Champions League campaign, he said there had been some great performances and that the manner and hunger shown in the first leg were the levels he wanted to attain. On the prospect of reaching the last 16, Howe said it had been a target and that while the squad backs itself in cup ties, the immediate focus remained on winning this match. He also described a strong mood in the squad after a run of three wins from their last four outings.

Injuries, suspensions and squad availability ahead of the fixture

Malick Thiaw was suspended after collecting his third yellow card in the competition last week. Bruno Guimarães, Emil Krafth, Fabian Schär, Tino Livramento and Lewis Miley were named as unavailable. Despite pre‑match notes that Sven Botman and Yoane Wissa were game‑time decisions, Sven Botman started the match and Yoane Wissa was listed among the substitutes. Those availability notes sit alongside the official team selection and bench named for the second leg.

Half‑time mood, commentary and Qarabag reaction at St James' Park

At half‑time Newcastle were applauded off the field, with reports that the home side were in command. There was a note of caution that the head coach would not want to ease off even with the tie apparently secured at 8-1 on aggregate. Commentators highlighted that after scoring two early goals Newcastle had become pedestrian, moving the ball slowly at times, and criticised the number of occasions the defence played to a marked and retreating midfielder who then lost possession. Qarabağ had offered one or two opportunities of their own, and their captain Badavi Huseynov was seen throwing an arm around forward Joni Montiel as the players went off; the visitors remained desperate to give their travelling support a goal to celebrate.

Where this fits in the wider Champions League play-off picture

The match is part of the Champions League play‑offs for a last‑16 spot. Elsewhere in the play‑offs, Inter were 0-0 with Bodo at one point with an aggregate of 1-3, Bayer Leverkusen were 0-0 with Olympiacos with a 2-0 aggregate, and Atletico Madrid beat Club Brugge to set up a tie with either Liverpool or Spurs. For viewers, a 'watch & listen' tab was noted as the option for live coverage.

• Kick‑off was listed as 3: 00pm ET.
• Stadium: St. James' Park, Strawberry Place, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 4ST.