Shay Given heaps praise on Jamaal Lascelles for his performance against Kylian Mbappe admitting while he was initially ‘worried’, the defender was ‘absolutely brilliant …
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Shay Given has lauded Jamaal Lascelles for his performance in containing superstar Kylian Mbappe during Newcastle’s epic 4-1 victory against Paris Saint-Germain.
Eddie Howe’s side put on a sensational display to stun the Ligue 1 champions on Wednesday night as Champions League football returned to St James’ Park for the first time since the 2003-04 season.
While the whole team were excellent during the match, former Newcastle goalkeeper Given singled out the 29-year-old defender as being critical in masterminding the victory.
He said to TNT Sports: ‘Before the game we were a bit worried about Mbappe up against Lascelles.
‘He [Lascelles] has never played in the champions league.
Shay Given has lauded Jamaal Lascelles (right) for his performance in containing superstar Kylian Mbappe (left)
Lascelles’ defensive display helped Newcastle claim a huge 4-1 victory against PSG in the Champions League on Wednesday night
Their high pressing game overwhelmed the Ligue 1 champions, with Mbappe struggling to help fire his side to the win
‘He’s playing against a superstar in Kylian Mbappe. And he was absolutely brilliant.
‘You could go through the whole pitch, Anthony Gordon, Miguel Almiron, all these different players, Alexander Isak… You could go through the whole team. Absolutely special.’
On his Champions League debut the English defender was a stand out, shutting down Mbappe on several occasions with some exceptional defending.
From the off, their pressing was outstanding and according to Rio Ferdinand, also speaking on TNT Sports, that’s what set the tone, with PSG unable to match them.
‘What is at the heart of a performance like that is desire, work ethic and intensity. All those players there they had that and the quality,’ the former Manchester United defender said.
Given added: ‘You could see they were fighting for every single ball. They pressed PSG all over the pitch.’
Ahead of the match, there was much talk of how Newcastle would be preparing to contain the 2018 World Cup winner Mbappe.
But Ferdinand said that their pressing game plan was what ultimately got them the victory.
He said: ‘Newcastle set it out and that shows you that to a man they were brilliant all over the pitch. To a man they played high risk, pressing football and it paid off. Dan Burn, what a great story there as well. You’ve got two local lads getting on the score sheet as well. What a moment.’
Miguel Almiron (pictured) opened the scoring for Eddie Howe’s side in the 17th minute
Dan Burn (bottom), a lifelong Newcastle fan, doubled their lead before half-time
Sean Longstaff (middle) got the third for the home side before Fabian Schar sealed the victory with a goal in the 91st minute
Newcastle would get off to a flying start, buoyed by the electric atmosphere at St James’ Park, with Miguel Almiron putting the Geordies in the lead after 17 minutes with an exceptional finish.
Lifelong fan Dan Burn doubled the lead just before half time. VAR would leave the home fans waiting for several minutes before his header was awarded, but as the referee pointed to the centre-spot, elation erupted all around the ground, with the defender in dreamland.
They continued to battle all around the pitch, with Sean Longstaff driving down the right wing before hitting a shot underneath Gianluigi Donnarumma in front of the Gallowgate End to make it 3-0 just after half-time.
The Ligue 1 side would hit back soon after through new signing Lucas Hernandez, but Eddie Howe’s side sealed the match in the 91st minute, reaping the rewards of their high press, with Fabian Schar firing a shot from outside the penalty area into the back of the net.
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Share or comment on this article: Shay Given heaps praise on Jamaal Lascelles’ ‘brilliant’ performance in Newcastle’s 4-1 win over PSG… after Magpies defender kept Kylian Mbappe quiet at St James’ Park