Two weeks after being humbled 4-1 on their own pitch by Bournemouth, the Magpies squandered a lead to lose 2-1 to Fulham, the worst possible preparation for Wednesday night’s second leg against the Gunners, into which they will take a 2-0 lead. Asked if he was concerned by a second hugely-frustrating performance on Tyneside, just days before arguably the biggest game of the season to date, head coach Howe said: “I think Wednesday night is a totally different game. “I don’t think there’ll be too many parallels from today’s game.
“I just think there were similarities in the two home games we’ve just had. I didn’t think we were as bad today as we were against Bournemouth and we had our moments. “At 1-1, I thought it was our best period of the game.
If we score there, the game is very different. “But we didn’t, of course. It’s hugely frustrating because I know how much better we are than that performance.
We just looked a little flat for whatever reason.” Jacob Murphy on his 200th appearance for the club fired Newcastle into a 37th-minute lead, but it was never comfortable and not only were they unable to retain it, they capitulated in tame fashion. They were torn apart on the break before Raul Jimenez levelled with a first-time finish, and even a point slipped from their grasp eight minutes from time when Rodrigo Muniz got his toe to Andreas Pereira’s free-kick to beat Martin Dubravka at his near post.
Howe, who revealed key midfielder Joelinton was.