Paris Saint-Germain 1-1 Newcastle: Howe’s side proved they can mix it up with the European champions

However, it seemed as if history was about to repeat itself at some point.

The match had not started long ago when Paris Saint-Germain were awarded a controversial penalty after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review after the ball bounced off Bradley Barkola’s arm and then struck Luis Maele’s hand inside the penalty area.

This brought back memories of when Newcastle defender Tino Liveramento was penalized for an unintentional handball on the same field in 2023.

Kylian Mbappé took full advantage on the night, but this time, Pope made a powerful save from Ousmane Dembele’s kick to briefly calm the Parc des Princes fans.

Although Vitinha put the hosts ahead, after only a few minutes, Newcastle did not collapse, even after such a shaky start.

They didn’t let their frustration get the better of them either, when they were not awarded a penalty of their own after the ball struck Marquinhos’ hand inside the box just minutes before Joe Willock equalised.

Willock was one of five players called up by Howe, and it was a night when the Newcastle manager’s faith in his team finally paid off.

Looking ahead to Saturday’s trip to Anfield, Howe made five changes as Dan Byrne, Anthony Elanga, Jacob Ramsey, Willock and Nick Woltemade joined the team, knowing it needed new players.

They certainly stepped up, not least Byrne, who wore the captain’s armband.

Byrne, making his first appearance since breaking a rib and puncturing a lung, was named man of the match after a tremendous performance.

I think the 33-year-old was “anxious” before the match.

“This injury shook me a little,” he said. “It was something I had never had before.

“I was really happy when the whistle blew because I settled into my routine and didn’t think about it.

“I don’t remember getting punched, so I was happy. It was weird. It was probably the first time I’d gone into a match feeling a little bit worried about the guy I was going to get hurt.”