Newcastle travel to the south of France to face Marseille in their fifth match of the Champions League on Tuesday evening.
The Magpies enter the Champions League clash on the back of a 2-1 victory over Premier League giants Manchester City.
Their last four games present an inconsistent picture, though: prior to their win against Pep Guardiola’s side, they had won only one of their last three games, having lost to Brentford and West Ham United either side of a 2-0 win over Athletic Club.
In Europe, though, it’s been a different story. After losing their opening fixture to Barcelona, Eddie Howe’s men have recovered in some style and will be aiming to make history at the Velodrome: a win would mark a fourth consecutive Champions League victory for the first time ever at the club.
Newcastle sit sixth in the league phase table, level on points with Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Galatasaray with nine.
Those points were gained after wins against Union Saint-Gilloise, Benfica and Athletic Club, against whom Newcastle scored a combined nine goals and conceded none.
Howe will be without Will Osula, Yoane Wissa, and Harrison Ashby in the South of France, but Anthony Gordon isn’t ruled out of the fixture.
The Magpies have failed to secure a win over Marseille in their last two meetings, losing one and drawing one.
Hosts Marseille sit 25th in the Champions League’s league phase, having won only one of their opening four games: a big 4-0 win against basement-boys Ajax is their only bright spot in a campaign which has also included defeats against Real Madrid, Sporting CP and Atalanta.
Domestically, however, they’re flying after four games without a defeat. Their last two games – a 5-1 drubbing of Nice and a 3-0 win over Brest – have contributed to their second place spot in Ligue 1, where they’re just two points adrift of leaders Paris Saint-Germain.
They desperately need to transfer that form to the European stage if they’re to have any chance of progressing past the league phase.
The hosts will be without Facundo Medina, Hamed Traorè, Amir Murillo and Amine Gouiri due to injuries.
Newcastle’s trip to the Velodrome will be broadcast live on TNT Sports and will kick off at 20:00 UK.
The lineups
MAR: Rulli; Weah, Pavard, Egan-Riley, Emerson, Garcia; Greenwood, O’Riley, Højbjerg, Paixão; Aubameyang
NEW: Pope; Krafth, Thiaw, Botman, Burn; Guimarães, Tonali, Joelinton; Elanga, Woltemade, Barnes