Eddie Howe named an inexperienced side at the Marvel Stadium with an average age of 21-and-a-half-years-old; Post-season tour of Australia ends with a whimper; Howe's squad are now set to fly back to the UK
Friday 24 May 2024 11:06, UK
Newcastle United's post-season tour of Australia ended with a 8-0 defeat to an A-League All Stars side.
The Magpies finished their Premier League campaign on Sunday but flew immediately out to Melbourne where they faced Tottenham at the MCG on Wednesday before taking on the A-League All Star side.
The trip to Australia has been described as "madness" and "crazy" by former striker Alan Shearer.
Despite flying the first-team out to Australia, Newcastle named an inexperienced side against the All Stars.
Eddie Howe made wholesale changes from the team that overcame Tottenham on penalties on Wednesday, with Newcastle's XI comprising of half a dozen teenagers while every outfield player was 22 or younger.
Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, Emil Krafth, Miguel Almiron and Alexander Isak had all left Australia, but the likes of Callum Wilson, Dan Burn and Matt Ritchie were available but not selected in the squad.
First-team trio Kieran Trippier, Elliot Anderson and Lewis Hall were left on the bench as Newcastle fell 3-0 down inside 34 minutes following goals from Ben Old, Nicolas Milanovic and Adam Taggart.
Fourth-choice goalkeeper Mark Gillespie, 32, was beaten for a fourth time after the interval when Apostolos Stamatelopoulos struck before 17-year-old shot-stopper Aidan Harris was introduced.
Harris was beaten by Stamatelopoulos before Jake Hollman, Jordan Courtney-Perkins and Bozhidar Kraev sealed the rout for an All Stars side made up of players from Australia and New Zealand's top league.
Howe's squad are now set to fly back to the UK.
