History Repeats Itself: Newcastle United's Late Conceded Goals
The Magpies' frustration was palpable as they once again conceded a late goal, this time in the 88th minute to Alex Grimaldo of Bayer Leverkusen. It was a familiar story for the team, who had shown remarkable spirit to come from behind and take the lead, only to be denied a precious victory.
Following the 2-2 draw in the Champions League, Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe emphasized the importance of mental strength and consistency. He stated, 'You have to stand up and be counted, and we didn't do it well enough.'
This season, Newcastle has conceded nine goals in the final 10 minutes of games across all competitions. Among Premier League clubs, only Nottingham Forest has let in more.
Anthony Gordon, the goalscorer, attributed the issue to mentality, stating, 'It all comes back to mentality. We have to hold out in these games because that is what top teams do.'
Despite their aspirations to be a top team, Newcastle's performance against Leverkusen raised concerns. The team's set-play defense has been shaky, with Tottenham Hotspur's Cristian Romero scoring a late equalizer from a corner just days prior.
Newcastle's struggles with late goals are not limited to set-plays. They have dropped more points from winning positions (11) than any other team in the Premier League. In their past five away games, they have failed to win despite taking the lead in all of them.
Howe's team needs to address this issue to avoid repeating history. They host PSV on January 21 and travel to the Parc des Princes to face Paris St-Germain a week later, with automatic qualification for the last 16 on the line.
Howe concluded, 'We have it all to prove. The two games we have are very difficult, but I believe in the group. Wherever we go, if we're near our best, we can win.'
