The 2-1 defeat at home to AC Milan has truly been a painful blow Eddie Howe is finding most difficult to take as the Magpies capitulation sees the Italians take third place in Group F as Newcastle fail to even secure Europa League spot.<\/p>\n
Howe manned up and accepted responsibility for Newcastle\u2019s crashing out so unceremoniously out of Europe after a Europa League place slipped out of their grasp as they tried to secure a Champions League berth.<\/p>\n
Their home defeat to AC Milan on Wednesday saw Newcastle finishing bottom of Group F, despite having had one foot in the last 16 of the Champions League, then looked headed for the lesser Europa League only to end up clutching a handful of air.<\/p>\n
After Christian Pulisic had leveled the score at 1-1 going into the final minutes to cancel out Joelinton’s effort, the Magpies’ place in the Europa League did at least have a modicum of assurance with Paris Saint-Germain having secured second place behind group winners Borussia Dortmund after a 1-1 draw in Germany, yet it was substitute Samuel Chukwueze\u2019s late strike that ensured it was the Serie A side who claimed it instead.<\/p>\n
When queried if they might have played for a draw as time ran down, Howe said: \u201cWe wanted to qualify for the Champions League for sure. That was very much our intention before the game and in-game.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not sure in that moment you can take that will away from the players. If you look at the goals we\u2019ve conceded, they\u2019ve come from mistakes that can happen in any moment whether you are being proactive or reactive.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course I take ownership of that, but I\u2019d much rather have the intention to go and attack and to try to win rather than the other way round.\u201d<\/p>\n
Joelinton\u2019s 33rd-minute piledriver had put Newcastle in the driving seat and their position improved further when Dortmund went ahead, but PSG levelled minutes later and crucially, so did the Italians through Pulisic.<\/p>\n
Goalkeeper Mike Maignan managed to turn a goal-bound Bruno Guimaraes shot on to his crossbar as the Premier League side sought the victory which would have kept them in the competition, but Chukwueze\u2019s late intervention amid a chaotic conclusion proved decisive.<\/p>\n
Howe said: \u201cWe\u2019re desperately disappointed. It\u2019s tough to take at the moment. The lads played very well in that first half and I thought we were good value.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was hoping the goal would come earlier than it did. Second half, we wanted to try to consolidate that and look for the second goal.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was really disappointed with the first goal we conceded because I think that is the key moment. We didn\u2019t deal with a second-phase set-play well enough \u2013 it was an uncharacteristic goal, really, for us to concede and then the game became very transitional.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was end-to-end from both teams, both teams looking to win, and we conceded on one of those transitions.\u201d<\/p>\n
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