Eddie Howe and Anthony Gordon both pointed to **Barcelona’s control of the midfield** as the key reason Newcastle were defeated 2‑1 at St James’ Park. ([Shields Gazette][1])
Here’s a breakdown of what each said, and how it combined to reveal how the game slipped away from Newcastle:
—
### What Howe said
* Howe admitted that Newcastle were “in the game” and showed “heart” and “guts”, but he felt the team lacked that extra quality to take the win. ([Shields Gazette][1])
* A big regret for him was not scoring the first goal, something that could have shifted momentum. ([Shields Gazette][1])
* He also acknowledged that whilst his side had chances—particularly in the first half—against a side like Barcelona, those chances don’t come often, and when they do, you must take them because “we got punished.” ([Shields Gazette][1])
* Specifically, Howe, like Gordon, praised the work of Barcelona’s midfield pairing, Pedri and Frenkie de Jong, saying they “reigned supreme” in controlling the middle of the park. ([Shields Gazette][1])
—
### What Gordon said
* Gordon believed **Newcastle deserved to win**, as they had “better moments”. But he also admitted that Barcelona’s ball‑retention in midfield made it hard for Newcastle to press their usual game. ([Shields Gazette][1])
* He specifically singled out how difficult it was to press when Barcelona kept possession so well—how the midfielders controlled the rhythm, kept the ball, and restricted Newcastle’s ability to force turnovers. ([Shields Gazette][1])
—
### Shared View
So both Howe and Gordon agree that, while Newcastle competed well physically, showed good energy and had scoring chances, the midfield control by Barcelona was decisive. It meant Barcelona could manage and slow the game when needed, stifle Newcastle’s press, and be effective in turning possession into dangerous opportunities — notably Rashford’s two second‑half goals. Because Newcastle failed to take early advantage (scoring first) and didn’t disrupt that midfield dominance, Barcelona got enough control to win. ([Shields Gazette][1])
—
- If you want, I can pull up stats (possession %, passes completed, midfield duels won) to show exactly how strong Barcelona were in midfield. Do you want those?