NEWCASTLE’S defence felt the heat in Atlanta – but ice-cool returning hero Miguel Almiron showed he can shine against next season
Toon paid Atlanta United £20million in 2019 for the pocket rocket Paraguayan winger, and the former favourite son lit up a sold out Mercedez-Benz Stadium with a classic finish in Wednesday night’s 1-1 draw against Chelsea.
Adored on Tyneside for his work rate, infectious smile and magical left foot, the love for ‘Miggy’ is only matched out here in Atlanta.
Given the loudest cheer by the 71,000 supporters when the teams were read out, the noise was deafening when he made it 1-1 on the stroke of half-time.
Anthony Gordon set it up with a brilliant run from his own half before sliding Almiron, 29, in behind Marc Cucurella.
And the smiling assassin did the rest in trademark fashion, stroking into the far corner beyond Kepa before lapping up the adulation by raising his arms and tapping his heart.
The Toon Army saw that exact goal over and over last season as Almiron scored 11 goals having mustered just nine in the previous four campaigns.
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His right foot remains non-existent but the one-trick pony continues to dazzle when bearing down on goal with that trusty left peg.
With Gordon and new boy Harvey Barnes likely to fight it out on the left, that right wing slot remains Almiron’s to lose as the Magpies get ready for a Champions League adventure.
But while the wingers linked up to devastating effect, Eddie Howe is sure to be concerned about some of his side’s defending on this US pre-season trip.
Ripped to shreds at the start by Aston Villa in Philadelphia, Chelsea’s front three of Mykhailo Mudryk, Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku had a field day in the early stages here.
Toon’s defence was rock solid last season, matching champs Manchester City in conceding just 33 goals when finishing fourth.
Kieran Trippier, Fabian Schar, Sven Botman and Dan Burn played nearly every game – but that first choice back four were well off it against the Blues and bailed out by keepers Martin Dubravka and Nick Pope.
Botman was caught out for Jackson’s opener, Fabian Schar was given a torrid time before being hauled off injured in the first half, and Trippier was left in a dazed heap by livewire Mudryk.
Teen Lewis Miley, 17, looked the part in midfield – as he has done all summer when given a chance – to show he could have a role to play in the upcoming campaign.