Analysis: Late heartbreak

St James' Park believed.

This side may be 12th in the Premier League for a reason, but Newcastle relish these European nights.

Although the overwhelming majority of these players had not even been born when Newcastle defeated Barca nearly 30 years ago, this was a chance for this group to make their own bit of history.

It certainly felt like a momentous occasion.

The noise was deafening before a ball was even kicked. Fireworks were let off into the sky before kick-off. A huge banner was unfurled in the Gallowgate End, which read: "Geordie boys are taking over, Budapest awaits for me."

The players fed off the atmosphere and did not show Barca undue respect - Joelinton even welcomed Lamine Yamal to Tyneside with a meaty challenge in the opening stages.

Newcastle gave as good as they got and, with the game finely poised, midway through the second half, Howe made an attacking triple substitution as he threw on Tino Livrameneto, Murphy and top scorer Anthony Gordon, who was too ill to start.

It soon paid off as Gordon picked out Murphy, who teed up Harvey Barnes to open the scoring.

Barnes left the field to a standing ovation after being taken off late on, but the devastated forward was ultimately left with his hands on his head on the bench after Barca's equaliser.

After keeping Lamine Yamal so quiet in open play all night, Newcastle were ultimately left to rue a late sucker punch.