Kieran Trippier has left the England camp due to a personal matter ahead of the Euro 2024 qualifier in North Macedonia.
Gareth Southgate’s side secured progress to next summer’s finals with two games to spare and Friday’s forgettable 2-0 win against Malta all but assured their spot among the top seeds in the December 2 draw.
England end their Euro 2024 qualification campaign and 2023 fixture calendar in Skopje on Monday night, when they will be unable to call upon Newcastle full-back Trippier.
The England account on X, formerly known as Twitter, said: “@trippier2 has departed the #ThreeLions camp, owing to a personal matter and will not travel to North Macedonia.”
Southgate has already been dealing with a string of an absentees and Trippier’s departure meant just 22 players trained during England’s final session on Sunday before flying out to Macedonia.
Southgate will be joined by Declan Rice at the press conference previewing the qualifier in Skopje.
Kieran Trippier may be a long-standing member of Gareth Southgate’s England squad but given the level of competition at full-back, he is not taking his place at Euro 2024 as a given.
The Newcastle defender is now one of the senior men within Southgate’s ranks and has amassed 46 caps to date.
His only senior goal was the opener in the 2018 World Cup semi-final defeat to Croatia with his ability to play on either side of Southgate’s defence keeping him in and around the team ever since.
Despite his consistency for club and country, Trippier is now arguably in the strongest pool of full-backs available to England.
In recent times Kyle Walker, Reece James and Ben White have played at right-back – with the versatile pair of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Rico Lewis also in contention – while Luke Shaw, Ben Chilwell and Levi Colwill have operated on the left.
“I need to keep performing well for my club first,” he said of Euro 2024 selection.
“There are so many good full-backs in England at the moment, I need to focus on my own performances. Obviously I want to be there but I know I need to be playing at a high level to be successful.
“I’ve always believed in myself. I’ve always had challenges in my career. I’ve always been up against top right-backs for many years now and it’s just about believing in yourself.
“I think the demands on a full-back these days playing now is so much. You’ve got to get forward. You’ve got to go on the overlaps but ultimately, you’ve got to defend as well.
“I think there’s a big responsibility on full-backs the way we play in the Premier League now.
“I think you look at all the English full-backs, there’s incredible talent.”
Southgate has largely put faith in youth since taking the reins as manager in 2016, with Trippier now one of the elder statesmen in the current squad alongside fellow 33-year-olds Walker and Jordan Henderson.
He will be hoping to start again when England face North Macedonia in their final Euro 2024 qualifier on Monday night but, regardless of the changes made by Southgate, Trippier knows leadership does not necessarily come with age.
“It only seems like yesterday when I was first walking into camp, when Gary Cahill was here and Joe Hart and all the experienced players,” he added.
“Fast forward it to now, I’m one of the oldest so it just shows how quickly football goes.
“Even though I’m one of the oldest, we’ve got a lot of leaders in this room, you’ve got a lot of players playing at a high level.
“You don’t need to be 33 to voice your opinion or whatever it may be.
“We’ve got great characters and – the most important thing – a great togetherness in this squad.
“Everybody speaks whatever they need to speak and everybody listens. We’ve got a good, honest group here.”
Trent Alexander-Arnold believes he seized on an opportunity to impress England manager Gareth Southgate when he starred in a midfield role against Malta last season and his “newfound excitement” about the position has left him targeting a starting berth at Euro 2024.
Despite a host of eye-catching appearances at right-back for Liverpool as they won the Premier League and Champions League, Alexander-Arnold found his pathway to the England side blocked by strong competition from the likes of Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier and Reece James.
Southgate, though, wanted to give the marauding full-back a chance in midfield and, despite initially being criticised for doing so by club manager Jurgen Klopp, Alexander-Arnold has now started to operate in that role for Liverpool.
He could come into the England side that hosts Malta at Wembley on Friday night, with a number of other options missing through injury, and he is now listed as a midfielder when Southgate names his squad.
But it was the reverse fixture against Malta in June when Alexander-Arnold felt he had a chance to show what he could do in the middle of the park and he put on a fine show against the Group C minnows, scoring his second England goal in the process.
“I would say the Malta game was my best performance in an England shirt,” the 25-year-old said.
“It was one that I felt going into it that I had confidence. It was a big opportunity for me. I knew I needed to perform and I wanted to perform.
“I had spoken to the manager prior to the game, leading up to that camp specifically, about an opportunity and he explained to me there could be a potential opportunity in midfield going forward for me.
“When I heard those words, it ignited something within me. There was a chance for me to go out there and take it and I think that’s what I did. Hopefully I’ll be able to build on that.”
While he has made 287 appearances for Liverpool, Alexander-Arnold has just 21 senior England caps to date.
Now though, with Euro 2024 on the horizon, he wants to nail down a place in Southgate’s side and feels his new-look role gives him the best chance of doing so.
“Since we spoke in the summer, me and the manager, about a midfield opportunity and to see if we could make it work, there has been a newfound excitement for me,” he said.
“It is a huge opportunity and it is one I am grateful to have, but also making sure I take it. It still early days, I haven’t had much experience in there so I’m still learning on the job and it’s about picking it up as much as I can when I am in there.
“I’ve had some opportunities, I’ve had games, I’ve had minutes. But now I feel like there’s a real opportunity for me, especially in a role that I think will get the best out of me.
“Every game for me between now and the end of the season and any time I’m performing, it’s to earn a place to start in the Euros.”
Asked if going to the Euros as a midfielder was now a target, Alexander-Arnold added: “Massively so, it is something I think about often, it is something that motivates me.
“When I’m here, when I’m not here, I’m constantly thinking about trying to get into the team for the summer, how I can do that and how I can take the opportunities I’m given to make sure I’m part of the plans for the summer.
“It is a target I have set for myself and I think, with the help of the manager and the staff and analysts, it is something I can do.”
John Stones’ injury has given England manager Gareth Southgate the chance to explore his centre-back options in the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia.
The City defender was forced off with a problem in Tuesday’s Champions League win over Young Boys with boss Pep Guardiola admitting it is “deep bad news”.
Stones only returned to action in October after a two-month absence with hamstring and hip problems but Southgate had no hesitation in starting him in the important qualifying win over Italy.
But with qualification for the summer’s tournament in Germany already secured, Southgate – who names his squad on Thursday – can afford to look at his back-up options.
Brighton captain Lewis Dunk and AC Milan’s Fikayo Tomori started together in last month’s friendly win over Australia but Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi was the man Southgate opted to replace Stones for the final 27 minutes against Italy and has the most caps of the trio.
Injuries to Ben Chilwell and Luke Shaw meant Kieran Trippier filled in at left-back against Italy but Chelsea’s Levi Colwill started against Australia and could be another one to benefit from any experimentation.
Colwill’s club captain Reece James could be in for a recall having returned from injury while Chelsea team-mate Raheem Sterling will be hoping two goals and some improved form in his last five matches will earn him a call-up for the first time since the World Cup.
Those chances could be enhanced depending on the extent of the ankle injury sustained by James Maddison during Tottenham’s loss to Chelsea on Monday and how significant the hamstring problem which forced off Callum Wilson in Newcastle’s Champions League defeat against Borussia Dortmund.
But Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka should return after withdrawing from the squad in October.
Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips’ 49 minutes of action since his international start against Italy is unlikely to count against him, but James Ward-Prowse is knocking on the door of a first call-up in 14 months after a number of good performances for West Ham.
Kieran Trippier is refusing to give up on Newcastle’s Champions League dream after a bruising night in Dortmund left them with a mountain to climb.
The Magpies, playing in the competition for the first time in 20 years, sat proudly at the top of Group F on October 4 after a thumping 4-1 victory over Paris St Germain.
A little more than a month on, back-to-back defeats a the hands of Borussia Dortmund – the second of them a 2-0 reverse at the Signal Iduna Stadium on Tuesday evening – left them at the bottom of the pile with just two games to play, although former Tottenham full-back Trippier knows from personal experience how quickly things can change.
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The 33-year-old, who swiftly turned his attention to Saturday’s Premier League trip to Bournemouth, said: “When I was at Tottenham, we had Barcelona and Inter Milan in our group and everyone said it was done, but never say never.
“We got to the final that year, so it is a never-say-die attitude from us. We can’t control what happens, we just have to focus on Bournemouth and forget this.”
Newcastle’s current haul of four points from four games is equal to what Trippier’s Spurs had managed by the same point in 2018-19, when defeats by Inter and Barcelona were followed by a draw at PSV Eindhoven and then a 2-1 home win over the Dutch outfit.
They eventually secured second place in Group B by beating the Italians in north London and then drawing at the Nou Camp, where substitute Lucas Moura’s late equaliser ensured they edged out the Serie A giants before going on to reach the final in Madrid, where they lost 2-0 to Liverpool.
Five years on, Trippier and his current team-mates will travel to Paris later this month ahead of AC Milan’s December visit to St James’ Park, knowing they may need to win both games to make it out of the group and their chances of doing so could depend largely on how far their injury problems have abated.
Head coach Eddie Howe was without Dan Burn, Sven Botman, Alexander Isak, Harvey Barnes, Jacob Murphy, Matt Targett, Elliot Anderson and Javier Manquillo, as well as the suspended Sandro Tonali, in Germany and returned with Callum Wilson nursing a tight hamstring.
He will hope key defender Botman and striker Isak at least can play a part in the remaining group games, although Trippier was in no mood to use the selection crisis as an excuse.
He said: “Everybody has to stand up. There are always going to be injuries in football.
“The good thing about us is that as a team and a manager, we don’t make excuses. Everybody feels valued in this team and we have a strong bond as a team.
“The reality is we are missing a lot of key players. But you look at Manchester United away and Arsenal at home and we’ve got good results, so there are no excuses from us. Whatever team the manager picks, we give everything.”
Newcastle headed back to Tyneside wondering what might have been after passing up opportunities to cancel out Niclas Fullkrug’s opener when Lewis Hall’s driven cross from a short corner move evaded all his team-mates and Joelinton sent a close-range header wide, and they were made to pay when Julian Brandt cemented the win late on.
Trippier said: “These are the fine margins. We had a great chance from the set-piece routine – on another day it is a tap in, Joelinton’s header.
“There was nothing in the game, but at this level, it is about being clinical.”
Dan Burn realised a dream he never imagined would come true when he scored in Newcastle’s Champions League triumph over Paris St Germain.
The Magpies defender was earning £9 an hour collecting trolleys when he got his break in football as a 17-year-old YTS trainee with Darlington.
On Wednesday night, his header put his side 2-0 ahead in their Group F clash with the French champions at St James’ Park, and they went on to secure a famous 4-1 victory to give themselves a genuine chance of qualification.
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Asked afterwards if he had ever dreamt of scoring in the Champions League, the 31-year-old said: “I dreamt of it. I never thought it was going to happen.
“I don’t think it’s really sunk in. The next few days once I’ve watched it back about a hundred times and managed to celebrate with my family, it probably will.
“But (it was) just a special night all round for the city.”
Burn’s big moment, which came after Miguel Almiron had fired the home side in front, was surrounded by drama after he headed home Bruno Guimaraes’ cross and immediately saw the flag go up to spark a lengthy VAR check.
But the 6ft 6in defender eventually got the answer he craved to spark wild celebrations on and off the pitch.
He said: “It spoiled it a little bit because as soon as I scored, I looked up and saw the offside flag and you’re a bit deflated.
“But as it went longer and longer, you think it might be a goal and just to have the lads jumping on you and looking around, and I’ve got all my family here as well…
“To be able to say that I’ve scored in the Champions League for Newcastle is amazing.”
Much of the talk before the game centred on how a Newcastle defence shorn of the services of key man Sven Botman would handle the threat of Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Goncalo Ramos and Randal Kolo Muani.
In the event, Burn, Kieran Trippier, Jamaal Lascelles and Fabian Schar – who also got his name on the scoresheet – coped admirably to blunt a potentially lethal attack.
Asked about Mbappe, Burn said with a smile: “He stayed on the left side, so I was quite happy, to be fair. But even to say I was playing against Mbappe is crazy.
“As I said, he kept over to Tripps’ side more, so I was happy with him.”
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The Magpies will resume their campaign after the international break with another home tie against Borussia Dortmund, but will do so having made a significant statement about their prospects.
Burn said: “We don’t fear anyone. We worked very, very hard to get to this point and we want to enjoy it, but we’ll only enjoy that playing the way that we play.
“We’ve just got to keep the momentum going.”
Newcastle defender Kieran Trippier is relishing the task of ruining Kylian Mbappe’s Champions League trip to Tyneside even if it might upset his son.
Magpies full-back Trippier is likely to be in direct competition with the Paris St Germain superstar when the clubs go head-to-head in Group F at St James’ Park on Wednesday evening.
However, he has revealed his son Jacob is a huge fan of Mbappe – who was seen calling for his gloves as he and his team-mates trained at an autumnal St James’ on Tuesday evening – and that has been a bone of contention in the lead up to an eagerly-anticipated game.
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Trippier said with a smile: “I was having a bit of banter with him last night and he said he wanted to walk out with Mbappe instead of me. I wasn’t really happy with that.
“He’s obsessed with him, always watching his clips on YouTube. I said to him, ‘If you get to walk out with Mbappe, you don’t look at me in the tunnel’.”
Trippier saw how dangerous Mbappe can be at close hand at last year’s World Cup finals, where he watched from the bench as France dumped England out at the quarter-final stage, and has also come up against the supremely-talented 24-year-old on the pitch on more than one occasion in the past.
He said: “I played against him – I think it might have been his debut game for Monaco – when I was at Tottenham, and I played against him for England on my debut – it’s quite a few years ago.
“This is football. These are the games you want as a player, playing in the Champions League, playing against the best players, the best teams. Paris have got unbelievable players in the team.
“Of course we need to recognise that Mbappe is one of the best players in the world, but they’ve got quality all over the pitch and we can’t be too fixed on them.
“We need to play our way because on our day, we can hurt anyone.”
For head coach Eddie Howe, the task is to put together a side which can extend an unbeaten five-game run in all competitions and build upon the start they achieved with a 0-0 draw at AC Milan in their opening fixture.
He will have to do so, however, without key defender Sven Botman and in all likelihood, with midfielder Joelinton and striker Callum Wilson also missing through injury.
The fixture, which rekindles memories of a famous 3-2 victory over Barcelona in the same competition in 1997, is a measure of the progress Newcastle have made in the two years since Amanda Staveley’s consortium launched its successful takeover and Howe, who arrived a few weeks later, admits the speed of progress has taken everyone by surprise.
He said: “Things move really quickly in football. I haven’t been here the whole two years, but my part of it has absolutely flown by.
“Initially, nothing like this was in our thoughts, the speed at which it’s happened. The only thing in our thoughts was staying in the Premier League initially.
“But the swing of momentum has shifted so powerfully and quickly in a positive direction for us. My only thought is to keep that momentum for as long as we can.”
A positive result against PSG would provide further evidence of the strides which have been taken, and Trippier insists victory, rather than football tourism, is his only focus.
Asked if he would be chasing Mbappe’s shirt after the final whistle, he said: “That has not crossed my mind. My thought process is to win.”
It has been another memorable Premier League campaign, with plenty of fine individual performances.
Here, the PA news agency picks out 11 players who have impressed over the 2022-23 season.
Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal)
Gunners stopper Ramsdale has enjoyed a stand-out campaign. The 25-year-old, who recently signed a new long-term contract, produced a string of fine saves to help rescue positive results which would otherwise have seen Arsenal’s title bid fade much earlier. England international Ramsdale has kept 13 clean sheets heading into the final weekend to rank among the Premier League’s best goalkeepers.
Kieran Trippier (Newcastle)
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Signed from Atletico Madrid during January 2022, full-back Trippier, continued his integration this season to become one of the key voices in the Magpies dressing room as Eddie Howe’s transformed squad pushed towards a top-four finish. As well as offering a threat from free-kicks, the England defender also provided an outlet on the overlap to supply Newcastle’s marauding forward line. Trippier, voted Newcastle’s player of the season, also topped the statistics for crosses.
William Saliba (Arsenal)
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Frenchman Saliba – who had loan spells at former club Saint-Etienne, Nice and Marseille – enjoyed a superb debut season in the Premier League before a back injury curtailed his progress in mid-March and in turn perhaps also derailed Arsenal’s title drive. The Gunners won almost 80 per cent of the 27 league matches in which Saliba played, conceding an average of just under a goal per game, which showed how much of a key part of the defence he was.
Lewis Dunk (Brighton)
Long-serving club captain Dunk played an integral role in the progress under new Seagulls boss Roberto De Zerbi, which resulted in his recall to the England squad for the first time in five years. Revelling in a quarter-back role at the centre of defence, Dunk has proved a key link in Brighton’s fast transition style which won so many plaudits. The 31-year-old has produced more than 3,200 completed passes this season – which set him top of the overall league statistics – as Brighton secured European qualification for the first time in the club’s history.
Luke Shaw (Manchester United)
England left-back Shaw has excelled under new United boss Erik ten Hag this season. Shaw’s consistency and versatility has also seen him deployed in the centre of United’s defence when required.
Martin Odegaard (Arsenal)
Gunners captain Odegaard has led by example this season, both creatively and clinically as he weighed in with 15 Premier League goals. The Norway playmaker was always on the front foot looking to make space for those around him or often finding a slide-rule pass when nothing appeared on.
Declan Rice (West Ham)
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The Irons may have been scrapping for points to stay clear of the relegation battle for much of the Premier League campaign, but midfielder Rice tackled every game full on as if they were in a title charge. The England midfielder also played an integral part in helping David Moyes’ side reach the final of the Europa Conference League.
Kevin De Bruyne (Man City)
Belgium captain De Bruyne passed a century of Premier League assists this season, becoming only the fifth player to do so. The 31-year-old again tops the domestic statistics so far with 16 as his regular supply line to City’s forwards continued to pay dividends. De Bruyne also played a central role in City’s run to the Champions League final, scoring a fine equaliser away to Real Madrid the first leg of the semi-final.
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
Another instrumental player in Arsenal’s drive to the top of the table which had looked to set them on course for a first title since the ‘Invincibles’ 2003-04 campaign. However, the 21-year-old’s influence drifted over the final weeks of the campaign as the Gunners’ championship dream faded, with the last of his 13 league goals coming in the 3-3 draw against Southampton. Nevertheless, Saka was still one of the stand-out players of the season.
Harry Kane (Tottenham)
While it may have been another turbulent season for Tottenham, Kane continued to try to push the team on with 28 Premier League goals. Kane became Spurs’ all-time record scorer when his 267th strike for the club in the 1-0 win over Manchester City during February saw him pass the long-standing mark of Jimmy Greaves. The 29-year-old also went ahead of Wayne Rooney as England’s leading scorer and overtook the former Manchester United striker in total Premier League goals, sitting now behind only Alan Shearer.
Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
Haaland has enjoyed a remarkable first season after moving to Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund. Any questions over how the 22-year-old would adapt to the hustle and bustle of Premier League football were soon put to bed as he scored a record nine goals in his first five games, with hat-tricks against Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest. Haaland’s staggering return – his current tally of 36 in the Premier League is another record – helped fire City to the title once again as well as into the finals of both the FA Cup and Champions League, with Pep Guardiola’s side now chasing the treble.
Danny Rose watched in awe as his old club Tottenham were humbled 6-1 by Newcastle United and said being at the game made him "fall in love with football again".
Former England defender Rose, who spent most of his career at Spurs but in 2020 enjoyed a short loan at Newcastle, has been a free agent since leaving Watford last September.
The left-back subsequently kept his distance from football, even going as far as avoiding watching the World Cup in Qatar earlier this season.
But appearing as a pundit during Sky Sports' coverage on Sunday, the 32-year-old revealed how watching Newcastle's comprehensive victory over Spurs helped reignite his passion.
It may not be the most popular opinion with Tottenham supporters, who saw their team humiliated on Tyneside, but Rose's comments were heartfelt and not said with any relish for Spurs' downfall.
"I haven't watched a lot of football this season, but watching those 90 minutes have made me fall in love with football again. So thank you," Rose said.
"Obviously, it's no secret that I've been away from football. I've deliberately not watched any football - I didn't watch the World Cup.
"It was only until the other night – I watched [Manchester] City in the Champions League. Watching it and listening to the music is when I started to think: 'OK, I miss it.'
"I haven't been in a stadium for a long time. I love football – a lot of it's to do with the atmosphere – but just seeing how [Newcastle have] played football and that feeling after three points, it's just reignited some feelings within myself."
Newcastle, who were beaten 3-0 by Aston Villa in their previous outing, bolstered their top-four status by moving six points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham, against whom they led 5-0 after just 21 minutes.
"That's the reaction we wanted and an incredible start," Newcastle boss Eddie Howe told Sky Sports. "The quality of our finishing was incredible. They weren't stick-on goals. We were lethal in front of goal.
"Everything about our first half an hour was where we want to be. Since I walked through the door here, the players have responded so well. I can't thank them enough."
Newcastle full-back Kieran Trippier urged his team-mates to embrace the prospect of qualifying for next season's Champions League.
"We let the supporters down last week, and it was about responding well. I thought we did that," said the Magpies captain.
"We got some goals early in the game. We showed throughout the season we want to be on the front foot.
"We shouldn't be scared to say we want to play Champions League football. The games are running out. This stadium would be bouncing with Champions League football."
Kieran Tripper does not understand why people are "kicking off" at Newcastle United's perceived time-wasting after Erik ten Hag called it "annoying".
The Manchester United manager made the comment ahead of Sunday's EFL Cup final meeting with Newcastle at Wembley, saying thee Magpies are an "annoying team to play against".
Eddie Howe's men have the ball in play for just 52.3 per cent of a match, the second lowest in the Premier League this season behind Leeds United.
But Howe's tactics are working as Newcastle are competing for European qualification while also having the chance to end a 54-year major trophy drought against the Red Devils.
Trippier is confused over the criticism his team is receiving, telling reporters: "I love it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
"But I have experienced it a lot in Spain. It's about knowing when to slow a game down. If the opposition are having more of the ball and are on top, of course you've got to kill the game. You're not going to take a quick throw-in and say, 'Carry on'. You have to manage the game.
"Some teams are not happy with us this season, but it's about being clever in that moment, about using your experience. Opposition fans are not going to like it either, because it's against their team. But as a neutral, I think it's good to see. I don't see why everyone's kicking off about it, it's good!"
Asked whether Newcastle plan to use the same tactics at Wembley, Trippier replied: "Of course we will.
"You've got to have that mentality. If you want to win, if you want to be successful, you have to be cute in every single game.
"You look at teams like Real Madrid and how successful they have been, and they've had players like Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, and they were the best at it. If you want to be successful, you have to manage the game well, and at the right time."
Declan Rice is a better player than either Casemiro or Thomas Partey, according to England team-mate Kieran Trippier.
West Ham midfielder Rice is widely expected to be on the move at the end of the season, with the Premier League's top clubs said to be interested.
Manchester United and Arsenal are among those linked, although both have established stars in a holding midfield position.
Indeed, Casemiro and Partey have been two of the standout performers in the Premier League this season, and Trippier, speaking on Rio Ferdinand Presents FIVE, could not split "both quality players".
However, the Newcastle United captain was certain Rice ranked ahead of both.
"Declan's unbelievable," Trippier said.
"I don't know if you watched the game the other day, when we played West Ham, but his intelligence, the way he breaks up play and how he travels with it and how powerful... unbelievable.
"He's probably one of the best in the world at what he does.
"Don't get me wrong, Casemiro – the trophies he's won, the Champions League, he's a world-class player.
"But if you're talking right now, honestly, Dec's incredible. He's got the age, as well."
Many onlookers might have anticipated Newcastle United would soon be contending for honours with the backing of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, but few could have imagined the rapid rate of their improvement.
Just months removed from a Premier League relegation battle, Newcastle are through to the EFL Cup final and in position for Champions League qualification.
Yet this Newcastle team have not enjoyed their relative success to this point by playing in the same manner as Kevin Keegan's open, entertaining and erratic side of the 1990s.
Eddie Howe this week described Newcastle's class of 2022-23 as working "within the Kevin framework", but their best attributes go back further to their roots.
"Fortiter defendit triumphans" – triumphing by brave defence – reads Newcastle upon Tyne's motto. So effective was Newcastle's title-winning defence in the early 1900s, marshalled by captain Bill McCracken, the team's offside trap brought about a change in the rules.
When Sean Longstaff's double took the Magpies to a first final since 1999 against Southampton, it was not the only long wait ended in Tuesday's semi-final; Che Adams' riposte was the first goal Nick Pope had conceded since November 6 – also against Southampton.
Pope's sequence of 10 consecutive clean sheets in all competitions – the longest by a Premier League goalkeeper since Edwin van der Sar's run of 12 in 2008-09 – did not stretch to an 11th match, but his 16 for the season are the most in Europe's top five leagues.
Even including three goals conceded this season by Karl Darlow and Martin Dubravka, Newcastle have shipped just 15 in 27 matches, the fewest across the continent.
The best defence in Europe has been vital to Newcastle's progress.
Balanced back line
The Magpies' defensive record is even more impressive when considering only minutes in which Howe has used what is clearly now his strongest back four.
Sven Botman started the season on the bench, while both he and Fabian Schar were rested for Newcastle's sole league loss at Liverpool.
Botman is yet to taste defeat in 18 Premier League appearances, although he did play in an FA Cup reverse at Sheffield Wednesday when Schar was absent.
Of players in the top five leagues, nobody has played more minutes in all competitions this season without losing than Schar (2,055).
When Schar and Botman have been on the pitch alongside Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn, Newcastle have conceded only seven goals in 1,878 minutes – or one every three games.
Adams' stunner was the first first-half goal Newcastle had conceded since August 28, with that staggering stingy sequence still ongoing in the Premier League. At 16 matches, it is tied for the third-longest such run in the competition's history.
That statistic explains why Newcastle have trailed for just four per cent of the time the ball has been in play in their Premier League matches this season – the lowest rate in the competition.
There is a great balance to this back four. Schar, with his 1.4 interceptions per 90, is an aggressive, front-foot defender, while Botman tidies up behind. On the left, Burn is happy to tuck in as a third centre-back, allowing Trippier to get forward on the opposite flank and average 10.5 crosses per 90.
All four are dominant in the air – even the diminutive Trippier – and a big, powerful Newcastle side have won 55.6 per cent of their aerial duels this season, trailing only Manchester City (57.0 per cent) and Real Madrid (56.4 per cent) in that regard.
'The best in the world'
If there is one area in which the Newcastle defence is lacking, it is pace – but that is where Pope comes in.
His 27 keeper sweepings – measured when a goalkeeper anticipates danger and rushes off his line to either cut out a pass or close down an opponent – are the most in Europe.
And Pope's ability to read the game is especially impressive given how little he sees of the action.
Playing behind that mean defence and rarely involved in Newcastle's build-up play, Pope averages 30.6 touches per 90 – roughly half as many as Yann Sommer's Europe-leading 60.8. He faces only 3.0 shots on target per 90.
But when those chances do come, Pope intervenes unlike any other goalkeeper across the top five leagues. His 83.8 per cent save rate is the best of all keepers to make 10 or more starts in all competitions.
In the same group, only Kepa Arrizabalaga is preventing goals at a greater rate, according to expected goals on target data. Pope's saves have prevented 6.1 goals.
Despite a costly gaffe in his most recent England outing against Germany in September, Pope is one of only five keepers across Europe to start 25 club games this term without committing an error leading to a goal.
Bruno Guimaraes' recent description of his team-mate as "the best goalkeeper right now in the world" was perhaps hyperbolic, but the data does not disagree.
Defending from the front
Pope has already earned more clean sheets this season than he ever did in a single campaign at former club Burnley, but he and his defenders have been helped hugely by the way Newcastle set up, easing the pressure that was a constant presence at Turf Moor.
Some neutrals have not been quite so enthused by Newcastle's style of play, which has yielded six goalless draws in the Premier League – twice as many as any other team.
A high-profile 0-0 at Arsenal, in which Newcastle defended doggedly, established a narrative that this team are adverse to front-foot football.
However, Mikel Arteta recognised after that stalemate: "It is not the way they play. They have not set up like this against anyone else."
Newcastle's expected goals total of 33.7 is the fourth-highest in the Premier League this season, and their attacking intent usually forces opposition teams back, crucially keeping the ball away from their own goal.
The Magpies' attacks start 42.7 metres upfield on average, deeper only than three teams, and that high line – aided by Pope's sweeping style – contributes to Newcastle allowing the fifth-fewest opposition touches in their area, 21.2 per game.
Pope is a standout performer, but this incredible defensive effort has been achieved as a team.
If it can continue, so can a club-record 15-game unbeaten top-flight run and dreams of silverware and Champions League qualification between now and the end of the season.
Kieran Trippier signed an extension to his Newcastle United contract on Friday, as the England defender compared Eddie Howe's Magpies to Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid.
The 32-year-old was a LaLiga winner with Simeone's industrious Atletico team before making the switch to Newcastle in January 2022, becoming the first major signing of the club's new Saudi-led ownership era.
He and Newcastle have enjoyed a strong year, fending off relegation worries last season before soaring up the Premier League table this term, sitting third and winning the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final against Southampton 1-0.
Tripper's new deal means he is adding 12 months to the deal he signed when arriving at St James' Park.
It is a reward for helping Newcastle keep 12 clean sheets in 20 Premier League games this season, conceding a league-low 11 goals so far.
Trippier recognises parallels between the teams coached by Howe and Simeone.
The former Burnley and Tottenham full-back told the club's official website: "With Simeone it was crazy in the way we trained, the way he was obsessed with keeping clean sheets, and I think here it's a similar mindset. We need to stop goals going in. I think we've showed this season how difficult we are to play against."
Trippier said there was never any doubt he would commit to an extended stay on Tyneside, believing he and the team are only going to keep improving.
"I think I'm playing the best football of my career here at Newcastle," Trippier said. "We're challenging for a cup and a good position in the league, and it's a bright future ahead for Newcastle."
Asked about working with Howe, Trippier said: "I feel like he's brought an extra level out of me this season.
"You only need to look from last season, the position we were in before the takeover happened, how many goals we were conceding, and the progression that we've made in a year and a bit.
"It's massive progress, but we're only halfway through, and we know how relentless the Premier League is, so we need to stay focused because we've got some massive games coming up."
Head coach Howe said Trippier's new deal was "a fitting reward for the season he's had", describing him as "outstanding both on and off the pitch".
Marcus Rashford joined Erling Haaland in being nominated for the Premier League's Player of the Month award for November and December after a strong run of form for Manchester United.
With the 2022 World Cup necessitating a seven-week break for elite club football, performances from either side of the tournament contributed towards the nominations.
Having scored three times during England's campaign in Qatar, Rashford hit the ground running on his return to club football by claiming a goal and an assist against Nottingham Forest before netting the winner at Wolves in United's final game of 2022.
Rashford – who was named Player of the Month in September – will face fierce competition for the award from Haaland, who scored four goals in four games for rivals Manchester City either side of the World Cup break.
Casemiro joins his United team-mate Rashford on the shortlist after helping Erik ten Hag's resurgent side win three of their four games throughout November and December.
Meanwhile, leaders Arsenal have strong representation from two nominees, with captain Martin Odegaard on the shortlist after recording six goal contributions (three goals, three assists) during this period – the most of any Premier League player.
Bukayo Saka is also in contention after netting in the Gunners' crucial victories against West Ham and Brighton and Hove Albion over the festive period.
Newcastle United's Kieran Trippier, Brentford defender Ben Mee and Fulham's Joao Palhinha complete the eight-man shortlist for the prize, which will be awarded next week.
Gareth Southgate's decision to remain as England manager has left his players "absolutely delighted", according to Kieran Trippier.
The former Middlesbrough boss considered walking away from the post he has held since 2016 after his side were edged out in the World Cup quarter-finals by France.
With a semi-final appearance at Russia 2018, and a runner-up finish at Euro 2020, there had been questions over whether Southgate could depart before the end of his contract, which runs through to Euro 2024.
The subsequent confirmation he is staying has been positively received by his players, with right-back Trippier indicating the 52-year-old has the full backing of the squad he took to Qatar 2022.
"We are all absolutely delighted about it," Trippier told the i newspaper. "From the moment he first took charge until now, we've taken great huge steps.
"Players want to play for England, they know what it means to put the shirt on. He's a great man manager, and I think all the lads would say that.
"Speaking for myself, I'm delighted that he's staying on, and I know that all the rest of the players are too."
After a difficult time that saw England relegated in the Nations League prior to the World Cup, Southgate initially said he required time to think over his future before recommitting.
Trippier believes England are continuing to progress, pointing to the spirited performance against France as a sign of growth.
"I think we have moved forward, for sure," the Newcastle United full-back added. "You see the freedom the players had to attack, and you just have to look at the France game. I thought we were brilliant.
"We have taken huge steps. It was another learning curve for us, but we move on now."
England will begin a possibly thorny Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with games against reigning European champions Italy and Ukraine in March.
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