Expected goals is generally agreed to be the best way to measure how good teams play in a certain game.
To look better at how the parties are doing, with the expected goals (XG) metric you can get a better picture of how teams perform.
Expected goals (XG) is a statistics that are used to work out how many goals must be scored in a match.
With any shot that has assigned an XG value on the basis of the difficulty of the attempt, with factors such as a goal, type of shot and the number of defenders present that influences the value.
The higher the XG of a certain shot, the greater the chance that a goal must be scored from that shot.
The XG value of each recording in a game is then used to calculate the expected goals in a certain game.
So instead of just the usual basic statistics of how many shots each team has, expected goals where shots were made and how good a chance was and whether defenders in the way etc.
These expected target statistics from Newcastle 1 Barcelona 2, via BBC Sport:
Newcastle United 1.46 in Barcelona 1.31
As you can see, these expected goals statistics give us a better idea of how the game really went, further than just the latest score.
Not much in it, but as the expected goals prove statistics, Newcastle United has somewhat better/more opportunities for opportunities.
Of course you take other information into account.
With our own eyes we saw that, despite the fact that Barcelona had much more possession (64% Vs 36% of Newcastle), the vast majority of it was in non-threatening areas. It would always be Eddie Howe’s tactics against such a technically good opposition, to lean back as Barcelona successfully broke the high press, Barca let it play for the line of defense. When you get the ball, United hopes to use the pace of people like Anthony Elanga. We watched how Newcastle created some very good opportunities, more than Barcelona.
In addition to our own eyes and the expected target statistics, you can also look at other important underlying statistics.
Newcastle had more corners (6 V 4) and more efforts on goal (6 V 5). Barcelona did have more general shots (19 V 10), but that also simply reflects the fact that although they had more possession, they had trouble getting in clear goal positions and the vast majority of their shots was from a distance.
Everything points to the fact that Newcastle United certainly earned at least a draw, but a real finish from Rashford won the game.
Newcastle 1 Barcelona 2 – Thursday, September 18, 2025 at 8 p.m.
(Statistics via BBC Sport))
Goals:
Newcastle United:
Gordon 90
Barcelona:
Rashford 58, 67
Possess Was Newcastle 36% Barcelona 64%
Total number of shots were Newcastle 10 Barcelona 19
Shots on goal were Newcastle 6 Barcelona 5
Corner were Newcastle 6 Barcelona 4
Touches in the box Newcastle 28 Barcelona 38
Newcastle -Team in Barcelona:
Pope, Trippier (Botman 76), Schar (Thiaw 63), Burn, Livramento, Tonali, Bruno, Joelinton (Willock 62), Barnes (Woltemade 62), Gordon, Elanga (Murphy 63)
Unused Subs:
Thompson, Ramsdale, Hall, Krafth, Osula, Miley, A Murphy
(Match Report – Wait a minute, what should I say if he wants one for the next game? Read here)
(It wasn’t long before they came after Eddie Howe – Read here)
(BBC Sports remarks of ‘Neutrales’ interesting in Newcastle United after 2-1 defeat of Barcelona-read here)
(Newcastle 1 Barcelona 2 – Instant Newcastle United Fan/Writer Response – Read here)
Newcastle United arms have absolutely confirmed dates and times (all Champions League matches will also be available to watch TV in the UK):
Sunday, September 21 – Bournemouth V Newcastle (2 p.m.) Sky Sports
Wednesday 24 September – Newcastle V Bradford (7.45 pm) Sky Sports+
Sunday 28 September– Newcastle against Arsenal (4.30 pm) Sky Sports
Wednesday 1 October: Union SG vs Newcastle United (5.45 pm)
Sunday 5 October– Newcastle V Forest (2 p.m.) Sky Sports
Saturday, October 18 – Brighton V Newcastle (3 p.m.)
Tuesday, October 21: Newcastle United vs Benfica (8 p.m.)
Saturday, October 25 – Newcastle in Fulham (3 p.m.)
Sunday 2 November – West Ham against Newcastle (2 p.m.) Sky Sports
Wednesday, November 5: Newcastle United vs Athletic Club (8 p.m.)
Sunday, November 9 – – Brentford v Newcastle (2 p.m.) Sky Sports
Saturday, November 22 – – Newcastle V Man City (5.30 pm) Sky Sports
Tuesday, November 25: Olympique Marseille vs Newcastle United (8 p.m.)
Saturday, November 29 – Everton v Newcastle (5.30 pm) Sky Sports
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