No one knew if Eddie Howe was well enough to watch his Newcastle players from the hospital bed he has occupied since Friday night but they ultimately put on the sort of show he would have relished.
As England’s manger Thomas Tuchel took a seat in the directors’ box, Tino Livramento pressed his international claims with an excellent game out of position at left back as goals from the similarly outstanding Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes (twice) and Bruno Guimarães lifted Newcastle to fourth in the table. A Champions League place appears well within their grasp.
