It was kept behind-closed-doors, but Newcastle United blew off the summer cobwebs with a run out against Mark Hughes’ Carlisle United at Benton on Saturday morning.
It was the club’s first outing since their end of season defeat to Everton, a result which, despite it’s negative outcome, was enough to see the Magpies claim a return to the Champions League after dipping out of Europe altogether last season.
Goals from Sean Longstaff, Jacob Murphy, Joelinton and Ben Parkinson ensured Howe’s men got off on the right foot ahead of travelling to Austria for a summer camp. Newcastle then face Celtic, a game in which the club’s international players - the likes of skipper Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon - will make a return. Celtic Park will also be the first time Newcastle fans will have had to get a look at Anthony Elanga, after the former Nottingham Forest and Manchester United winger sealed a £52million move from the City Ground.
But, as these games so often are, it wasn’t just about getting minutes in the legs of Joelinton, Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles, it was about letting the next gen get some minutes - and here’s who Eddie Howe turned to at the club’s Benton training base on Saturday morning.