Union Saint-Gilloise vs Newcastle LIVE: Latest score and updates from Champions League tie as Eddie Howe's side look to bounce back from Barcelona defeat

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Follow Daily Mail Sport's live blog for the latest scores, team news, and updates as Newcastle travel to Union Saint-Gilloise in the Champions League, with Craig Hope reporting from the ground.

Breaking:Union SG team news

No fancy graphic from Union SG (booo) so here's the team:

Scherpen; Mac Allister, Burgess, Leysen; Khalaili, Zorgane, Van de Perre, Niang; El Hadj; Rodriguez, David.

We think it is going to be a back three. And, yes, that centre back's first name is Kevin.

 Kevin Mac Allister of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise thanking fans for their support during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between PSV Eindhoven and Royale Union Saint-Gilloise at Philips Stadion on September 16, 2025 in Eindhoven, Netherlands. (Photo by Ben Gal/BSR Agency/Getty Images)

 Kevin Mac Allister of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise celebrates after scoring his teams third goal with Fedde Leysen of Royale Un ion Saint-Gilloise, Marc Giger of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, Christian Burgess of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between PSV Eindhoven and Royale Union Saint-Gilloise at Philips Stadion on September 16, 2025 in Eindhoven, Netherlands. (Photo by Broer van den Boom/BSR Agency/Getty Images)

Howe hits back at Bayern chief

Woltemade has been in the news for other reasons too.

Bayern Munich chief called Newcastle 'fools' for paying £69million for the forward, having been in talks with Stuttgart to sign him for £53m earlier in the window.

Bit of a weird one, but there we go. Howe has now spoken out on the situation.

Click here or below to read more from Craig.

CRAIG HOPE IN BRUSSELS: The Bayern Munich board advisor has sought to mock the Magpies for the club-record fee they agreed with Stuttgart in August.

Howe: 'He deserves the praise'

Eddie Howe, Newcastle manager on Nick Woltemade:

Great to see him score with his head. As I said when we signed him, we know he's a big player and that has to be a source of goals for him, with the height that he brings, and it's something we felt he could improve.
But the two headers are all his own work and he deserves the praise for them because they're two outstanding moments and it shows that hopefully, once the team services him and gives him better balls in and around the box, there's other ways he can score as well. It's certainly a promising start.

  Nick Woltemade of Newcastle United with manager Eddie Howe after the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Wolverhampton Wanderers at St James' Park on September 13, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)

Woltemade's fast start

Newcastle had a really chaotic summer with Alexander Isak going on strike, and they were also rejected by either clubs or their striker targets themselves, including the likes of Hugo Ekitike and Jorgen Strand Larsen.

But they eventually picked up Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa and, although the latter is injured, the former is in fine form.

The big German has scored twice for his new side so far and will lead the line tonight. He has settled in well - which can't be said for all the the Premier League's Bundesliga arrivals...

Will he bag tonight too?

Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Arsenal - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - September 28, 2025 Newcastle United's Nick Woltemade in action with Arsenal's Jurrien Timber REUTERS/Scott Heppell EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO USE WITH UNAUTHORIZED AUDIO, VIDEO, DATA, FIXTURE LISTS, CLUB/LEAGUE LOGOS OR 'LIVE' SERVICES. ONLINE IN-MATCH USE LIMITED TO 120 IMAGES, NO VIDEO EMULATION. NO USE IN BETTING, GAMES OR SINGLE CLUB/LEAGUE/PLAYER PUBLICATIONS. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE FOR FURTHER DETAILS..

 Nick Woltemade of Newcastle United (27) celebrates after scoring Newcastle's opening goal during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Arsenal at St James' Park on September 28, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)

Pocognoli: 'We're ambitious, but realistic'

Sebastien Pocognoli, Union SG manager:

I expect a very physical match. We'll have to be at 100 per cent and give everything. We'll have to be there from the very first second. It's the only way to go into a match like this with any ambition.
We're ambitious, but also realistic. I'm not going to put a percentage on how much of a chance we have. We simply have to do everything we can to maximise that percentage. We're not setting a specific goal for this campaign.
We've started well and are taking it one match at a time. We'll see where that takes us. It's a real challenge. I'm curious to see where we stand in Europe.

Union's head coach Sebastien Pocognoli speaks during a training session on the eve of the UEFA Champions League football match between Royale Union Saint-Gilloise (BEL)  and Newcastle United FC (ENG), at Lotto Park in Anderlecht on September 30, 2025. (Photo by VIRGINIE LEFOUR / AFP) (Photo by VIRGINIE LEFOUR/AFP via Getty Images)

Who are Union SG?

They are the Belgian champions.

Union won the Belgian Pro League by three points last season, and are top of the campaign this year too, having won seven of their nine matches and drawing two, scoring more than two goals a game and sitting unbeaten.

They don't have any former Premier League players of note - their most-recogniseable player is probably former Preterborough and Portsmouth man Christian Burgess, who captains the side.

In their first Champions League match of the season, they beat PSV 3-1. So they are not to be messed with - not at all!

 Goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, Mathias Rasmussen of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, Kevin Mac Allister of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, Adem Zorgane of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, Anouar Ait El Hadj of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, Promise David of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, Kevin Rodr+?-?guez of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, Christian Burgess of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, Ousseynou Niang of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, Fedde Leysen of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, Ross Sykes of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise thanking fans for their support during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between PSV Eindhoven and Royale Union Saint-Gilloise at Philips Stadion on September 16, 2025 in Eindhoven, Netherlands. (Photo by Ben Gal/BSR Agency/Getty Images)

 Captain Christian Burgess of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise and Head coach Sebastien Pocognoli of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise thanking fans for their support during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between PSV Eindhoven and Royale Union Saint-Gilloise at Philips Stadion on September 16, 2025 in Eindhoven, Netherlands. (Photo by Ben Gal/BSR Agency/Getty Images)

Last night

And there were plenty of games yesterday too, including an upset or two! Look away now, Liverpool fans:

  • Atalanta 2-1 Club Brugge
  • Kairat 0-5 Real Madrid
  • Atletico 5-1 Frankfurt
  • Bodo/Glimt 2-2 Tottenham
  • Chelsea 1-0 Benfica
  • Galatasaray 0-1 Liverpool
  • Inter Milan 3-0 Sparta Prague
  • Marseille 4-0 Ajax
  • Pafos 1-5 Bayern Munich

EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Raddad Jebarah/Shutterstock (15504034cq) Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool Galatasaray v Liverpool, UEFA Champions League, Group Stage, Football, RAMS Park, Istanbul, Turkey - 30 Sep 2025

epa12418404 Tottenham's Richarlison and his teamates greet their supporter after the UEFA Champions League soccer match between Bodo/Glimt and Tottenham Hotspur, in Bodo, Norway, 30 September 2025.  EPA/Mats Torbergsen  NORWAY OUT

 head coach Enzo Maresca of Chelsea FC gestures during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD2 match between Chelsea FC and SL Benfica at Stamford Bridge on September 30, 2025 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Vince Mignott/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)

Pre-match vibes

The Champions League is well and truly back, one and all. Don't you just love it?

Craig is inside the ground already but was taking in the atmosphere with the fans outside before kick off.

A little snippet of the away players wondering around on the outfield, too, on his X account.

Newcastle arrive

The Magpies are in town with kick off now less than an hour away, and it's a very picturesque setting.

Most grounds are in the Champions League.

Something tell me we won't have the same sort of atmosphere that we had in Istanbul last night, though!

Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Union Saint-Gilloise v Newcastle United - Lotto Park, Anderlecht, Belgium - October 1, 2025 Newcastle United's Nick Woltemade on the pitch before the match Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Union Saint-Gilloise v Newcastle United - Lotto Park, Anderlecht, Belgium - October 1, 2025 Newcastle United's Anthony Gordon on the pitch before the match Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

 Peter Lous/PA Wire.RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder.

 A general view during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD2 match between R. Union Saint-Gilloise and Newcastle United FC at RSC Anderlecht Stadium on October 01, 2025 in Brussels, Belgium. (Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)

Elsewhere tonight

Newcastle aren't the only side in action tonight in the Champions League.

They are on of the two earlier games, with more, including Arsenal and Manchester City, taking place later.

Here are all of the matches this evening. All kick-off times are BST:

  • Qarabag vs Copenhagen (17:45)
  • Union SG vs Newcastle (17:45)
  • Monaco vs Manchester City (20:00)
  • Dortmund vs Athletic Club (20:00)
  • Napoli vs Sporting (20:00)
  • Villarreal vs Juventus (20:00)
  • Arsenal vs Olympiacos (20:00)
  • Barcelona vs PSG (20:00)
  • Leverkusen vs PSV (20:00)

epa12417675 Manchester City's manager Pep Guardiola attends a press conference at Louis II stadium, in Monaco, France, 30 September 2025. Manchester City will face AS Monaco in their UEFA Champions League soccer match on 01 October.  EPA/SEBASTIEN NOGIER

 Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta during the Arsenal Press Conference at Sobha Realty Training Centre on September 30, 2025 in London Colney, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Craig Hope's Newcastle concerns

Craig Hope is our person on the ground today and, if you know Craig, anything he does not know about Newcastle is not worth knowing.

He has written a column this week on the Magpies, highlighting the concerns he has with the club ahead of two huge games.

It's Union tonight, then Nottingham Forest at the weekend, and it's well worth a read, if you don't mind me saying.

It will require a Daily Mail+ subscription, but that too is worth it - the first month is free!

Click here or below to read it.

Newcastle United head into two massive games ahead of the international break with a chance to get their season up and running.

Breaking:Newcastle team news: Woltemade STARTS

Here's the Magpies team for tonight.

Looks like Dan Burn will continue at left back, with Malick Thiaw continuing.

Woltemade leads the line, with the first-choice midfield in too.

Howe: 'They are tactically interesting'

Eddie Howe, Newcastle manager:

They have started the season very, very strongly. They had a great result in the Champions League against PSV. They are tactically interesting, and they will give us a physical threat with two big strikers. I've been really impressed by watching them.
We know it will be an important game on our Champions League journey. It's going to be a tough game. This will be a good challenge for us at a time in the season where we need to perform.

  Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe shouts instructions to his team from the technical area during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Arsenal at St James' Park on September 28, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Lee Parker - CameraSport via Getty Images)

What the odds say

I feel like I always say that heading to the tune of 'What does the Fox say?' Anyway. Irrelevant.

Here's how our friends at SkyBet rate Newcastle's chances tonight:

  • Union win: 14/5
  • Draw: 11/4
  • Newcastle win: 10/11

It's a big night for the Magpies.

Barcelona heartache

Champions League football returned to St James' Park a fortnight ago after a year away and there really was an electric atmosphere, as you would expect.

What a tie for it too. LaLiga champions and five-time Champions League winners Barcelona were in town with a sniff of an upset.

But things didn't exactly go to plan. Former Manchester United star Marcus Rashford stole the show, bagging a brace with what were his first goals for his new club.

Anthony Gordon did bag a consolation, but it was too little, too late.

Newcastle will be hoping for better tonight. They may need better, too.

  Barcelona's Marcus Rashford celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between Newcastle United FC and FC Barcelona at St James' Park on September 18, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Lee Parker - CameraSport via Getty Images)

 Dan Burn of Newcastle United under pressure from Ronald Araujo of FC Barcelona during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between Newcastle United FC and FC Barcelona at St James' Park on September 18, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

Newcastle in Champions League action

Good afternoon one and all and welcome to Daily Mail Sport's live coverage of Newcastle's latest Champions League match!

Eddie Howe's side travel to Belgium and Stade Joseph Marien today to take on Union Saint-Gilloise, looking to bounce back from their defeat by Barcelona on matchday one.

Kick off is set for 5:45, so stay tuned for all the latest coverage and build up of the game! Great to have you along.

Key Updates

  • Howe: 'He deserves the praise'

  • Newcastle team news: Woltemade STARTS

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