Newcastle's Pre-Season Struggles Continue with 4-0 Defeat to Celtic

Newcastle United's pre-season preparations took a hit as they were soundly defeated 4-0 by Celtic in their first friendly match. The absence of key players, including Alexander Isak and Joelinton, was keenly felt as Eddie Howe's side struggled to make an impact against the Scottish champions.

First Half Woes Celtic took the lead in the 28th minute when Arne Engels converted a penalty after being fouled by Joe Willock inside the box. Newcastle's goalkeeper, Nick Pope, then made a critical error just before halftime, rushing off his line and failing to clear a long ball, allowing Johnny Kenny to slot the ball into an empty net.

Second Half Struggles Despite making changes at halftime, including the debut of new signing Anthony Elanga, Newcastle could not turn the tide. Celtic extended their lead seven minutes into the second half with a close-range finish from South Korean midfielder Yang Hyun-Jun. The final blow came in the 75th minute when Liam Scales powered a header into the top corner, sealing a comprehensive victory for Celtic.

Looking Ahead Newcastle will need to regroup quickly as they face Arsenal in their next pre-season friendly on July 27th in Singapore. The absence of Isak, who has been the subject of transfer speculation, remains a concern for Howe as he looks to finalize his squad for the upcoming season.

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