Newcastle United faces Qarabag: UK TV channel, start time, live streaming details, officiating, injury updates, and team information.

Newcastle United will face Qarabag FK at St. James Park on Tuesday evening, entering this second leg of their UEFA Champions League Knockout stage playoff with a substantial 6-1 advantage from the initial match in Azerbaijan.

How to watch

The game will be aired on Tuesday via TNT Sports and Amazon Prime in the UK, Paramount+ in the U.S., SonyLIV in India, and Stan Sport in Australia. Additionally, ESPN will provide live updates.

Key Details

Kick-off time: Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 8.00 p.m. GMT (3 p.m. ET; 1.30 a.m. IST and 7.00 p.m. AEDT, Wednesday)
Venue: St. James Park, Newcastle
Referee: Davide Massa (Italy)
VAR: Daniele Chiffi (Italy)

Team news

Newcastle United

Emil Krafth, D: knee, OUT
Fabian Schär, D: ankle, OUT
Tino Livramento, D: hamstring, OUT
Bruno Guimarães, M: muscle, OUT
Lewis Miley, M: knee, OUT
Yoane Wissa, F: knock, OUT
Sven Botman, D: back, DOUBT

Qarabag

Shahrudin Mahammadaliyev, GK: DOUBT

Talking Points

Anthony Gordon and his records

While he may not start (or even play) on Tuesday, it is beneficial to reflect on his performance that has made this tie nearly conclusive in Baku. The statistics from that performance are noteworthy:

• At 2 minutes and 2 seconds, Anthony Gordon’s goal is the quickest by Newcastle in UCL history. The previous record for the fastest goal was two scored in the fifth minute, both in 2003 (Shola Ameobi and Alan Shearer).

• Gordon’s 10 UCL goals this season rank as the second most by an English player in a single UCL season.

• He is the first English player to net a hat trick in the UCL Knockout Stage.

• In 33 minutes, Anthony Gordon achieved the fastest hat trick by an English player and by any player representing an English club.

• Gordon became the third player to score a hat trick in their debut in the UCL Knockout stages, following Valencia’s Gerard in April 2000 (vs Lazio) and Liverpool’s Sadio Mané in February 2018 (vs Porto).

• He was the second player to score 4 goals in the first half of a UEFA Champions League match and the first to do so in the UCL Knockout Stage, with Luiz Adriano having done it in the 2014-15 Group Stage for Shakhtar Donetsk against BATE Borisov.

Newcastle United can rotate without fear

Without intending any disrespect to their opponents, the significant lead from the first leg allows Eddie Howe to utilize his available squad effectively, restore some scoring confidence among his attackers, and potentially evaluate talent from the academy if he chooses to do so.

Consider giving William Osula a starting opportunity. Allow Joelinton to regain some fitness. Rest the visibly fatigued Sandro Tonali. Assess whether Anthony Elanga can find his scoring touch. Perhaps provide young Sean Neave with more than three minutes on the pitch.

The Anthony Elanga question

Since his high-profile transfer from Nottingham Forest, where he concluded a season with six goals and 12 assists, Anthony Elanga has struggled to make an impact in Newcastle’s colors. In 37 matches this season across all competitions, Elanga has recorded only two assists and one goal (which came in the EFL Cup as a consolation against Manchester City). More concerning is the hesitation and lack of decisiveness Elanga displays on the ball, a stark contrast to his performances at Forest.

Aleksander Isak’s exit has frequently been cited by Eddie Howe as a factor in the team’s attacking struggles, and while this was understandable earlier in the season, it is no longer a valid excuse. Elanga is among the current Newcastle United forwards who must elevate their performance.

How can Eddie Howe replace Bruno Guimarães in the short term?

While not necessarily for this match, experimenting with different combinations on Tuesday may lead Howe to discover a solution to this dilemma. Guimarães is integral to Newcastle’s success since his arrival, but no team can rely excessively on one individual and their contributions.

A strong performance in the UCL Knockout stage could pave the way for someone to fill that role, at least temporarily.

The Qarabag story is not about the 6-1

For the Azerbaijani club, the emphasis is on their presence rather than the outcome of the challenging first leg. They are only the second Azerbaijani team to reach the group stages of any UEFA competition (2014-15 Europa League), the first to advance to the group stages of the UEFA Champions League (2016-17), and now the first to progress to a Champions League knockout round.

Considering some of the prominent teams they surpassed in the group stages—Napoli, Benfica, Marseille, PSV, Athletic Bilbao, Ajax, Villarreal—one can begin to appreciate the significance of their accomplishments.