Newcastle 1 Chelsea 1 – Miguel Almiron living the dream but big injury scare for Newcastle United

Newcastle 1 Chelsea 1 – Wednesday 26 July 2023 8.15pm (UK time 1.15am Thursday)

Venue – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

A lot to like about this latest Newcastle United pre-season runout.

Playing in front of a sell out 71,000 crowd against high quality Premier League opposition in difficult conditions (heat / humidity) is a little different to many previous seasons, when strolling around against lower quality sides in the UK and overseas.

A high quality game and more seriously taken than the Villa six goal enjoyable match on Sunday.

Out of (probably) choice and necessity, Eddie Howe selecting a team to play pretty much the whole match tonight, with a youthful bench and a decent number of key NUFC players nowhere to be seen in the matchday squad. Some fans bizarrely unable to understand the reality that with another tough game against Brighton in less than 48 hours time, Eddie Howe obviously looking to play two pretty much completely different starting elevens.

A good start by United but it was Chelsea who ended up taking the lead, as the clues found too much time and space in midfield for a ball to be slipped in behind Botman and Jackson produced a cool finish low past Dubravka. I think one of those where it would be described as a very well worked goal for the scoring side, bad defending for the one conceding. Some will no doubt point to a lack of pace in the middle of the Newcastle defence but when the opposition get a chance like that of so much time / space in the midfield and pressing towards the NUFC backline, very difficult to then defend against if the pass if good and the attacker stays onside.

A big scare to see Fabian Schar forced off on 34 minutes with what looked a hamstring problem (more on that later) but his replacement very quickly almost levelled it. Dan Burn had moved inside to partner Sven Botman and turning 19 just last month, Alex Murphy given a big chance to impress at left-back.

He almost did impress quickly at the other end, as a superb deep Almiron cross from the right found Isak just beyond the back post and his expert header back across goal saw Kepa make a superb save from Alex Murphy from point blank range, that in reality he (Kepa) knew nothing about – the ball hitting his arm, not his arm moving to save the ball.

However, this only delayed the very deserved equaliser.

In the fourth minute of first half added time, a move started from the back saw Botman play it to Burn and on to Gordon on the left, deep in his own half. Looking impressive once again tonight, the former Everton winger went on an excellent diagonal run and after 50 yards or so produced a top quality ball to put Miguel Almiron in behind Cucurella. Miggy still had it all to do but as the defenders converged on him he produced a now trademark exquisite low finish in Kepa’s bottom right corner, giving the Chelsea keeper no chance.

Great to see Nick Pope on for the second half and more on him later as well…

Alexander Isak looking Newcastle’s biggest threat along with Anthony Gordon and he produced a superb left side run where he turned Reece James inside out, the defender not knowing where he was. Isak squaring a brilliant low ball across the edge of the box and unmarked, Lewis Miley (who was another stand out performer) could only produce a tame finish straight at the keeper.

Late on, focus switched to the other end and the very welcome return of Nick Pope after his recovery from an operation on his finger.

Firstly, possession was lost on the edge of the Newcastle box and Gallagher took advantage to hit a low shot that Pope superbly saved low to his left.

Secondly, the NUFC number one ensuring a draw with an even better stop in the very final stages, a Chelsea corner falling to Chilwell and his rising shot brilliantly turned around the post via Pope’s fingertips. No disrespect to Dubravka but this is why Nick Pope is clear number one, someone who is amongst the best keepers around and neither Dubravka nor all but one or two other keeper could / would have saved this one.

Miguel Almiron living the dream with this return to play in front of his adoring fans in Atlanta, massive noise when he scored and when subbed late on, no surprise when he was named man of the match!

I think loads of positives for Eddie Howe with the season now only 16 days away but that Fabian Schar injury obviously the biggest worry.

However, the NUFC Head Coach did have some encouraging words on that as well after the final whistle, saying about Schar, ‘We think he is OK. He is saying he’s got a tightness in his hamstring – he doesn’t think he’s pulled any muscle.’

The normal reaction from a player is to look positively in the first instance, in the immediate aftermath of a game / injury like this. Hopefully when he wakes up on Thursday, Fabian Schar is still feeling as positive. The one area where Newcastle United are arguably weakest, real quality cover on the right side of defence.

Newcastle 1 Chelsea 1 – Wednesday 26 July 2023 8.15pm (UK time 1.15am Thursday)

Goals:

Newcastle: Almiron 45+4

Chelsea: Jackson 12

Newcastle team v Chelsea:

Dubravka (Pope 46), Trippier (Ashby 85), Schar (A.Murphy 34), Botman, Burn, Joelinton (Turner-Cooke 85), Tonali, L.Miley, Almiron (Parkinson 78), Gordon, Isak

Unused Subs:

Gillespie, Savage, J.Miley

The full seven game pre-season programme of Newcastle United friendlies, including broadcasting details:

Saturday 15 July 2023

Gateshead 2 Newcastle 3

Tuesday 18 July 2023

Rangers 1 Newcastle 2

Sunday 23 July 2023 / Monday 24 July 2023

Newcastle 3 Aston Villa 3 (Played at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia)

Wednesday 26 July 2023 / Thursday 27 July 2023

Newcastle 1 Chelsea 1 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

Friday 28 July 2023 / Saturday 29 July 2023