Two new signing sessions make an impression in St James’ Park Draw – Newcastle 2-2 Espanyol

The visitors took the lead in the first half with a thunderous strike that simply had no chance to stop the debut of Aaron Ramsdale.

A mixed first half of Matt Targett saw him both scoring the equalizer and allowing a penalty, but Ramsdale was the hero with him who still saves Puado’s Spot-Kick on.

But the game was destined to be a draw, despite Jacob Murphy’s coupling goal that looked like a winger, because Espanyol won an 89th Equalizer to rob us of a first prevention of victory.

Newcastle XI (4-3-3): Ramsdale-Krafth, Schar, Burn, Hall-Bruno, Miley, Targett-Murphy, Osula, Seung-Sooo

Subs: Ruddy, Gillespie, A Murphy, Heffernan, Bailey, Charlton, Shahar, Kuol, Neave, Harrison.

Espanyol XI (4-2-3-1): Dmitrovic – El Hilali, Miguel Rubio, Cabrera, Romero – Pol Lozano, exhibition – Sanchez, Roca, Padado – Roberto

A few daring phone calls from Howe for the Sela Cup -Weekender, who choose to split some of his biggest names between the two games instead of placing a full force XI against Atletico Madrid.

Aaron Ramsdale received his debut from Howe through Howe, the South Korean younger Park Seung-Sooo hoped to build on his impressive cameies in the pre-season tour through Asia, and Lewis Hall started for the first time in five months and saw Matt Towilt moving to midfield.

After a slow start of both parties, it was the visitors who took the lead in a surprising way: Exposito shot a shot from the reach straight in the back of the net – just not to stop and bad luck for Ramsdale to admit his first Newcastle goal in this way.

However, we did not have to wait long for an answer, because some tidy work in the Espanyol Box Lewis Miley saw the ball pick up, drive to the touchline, before a beautiful cross to the distant pole targed the head of Matt to bring our level.

.@Mattytargtttt On the score sheet! ✊ pic.twitter.com/A805MJN2CZ

– Newcastle United (@NUFC) August 8, 2025

From there we started to enjoy the lion’s share of possession, a much needed improvement compared to some of the performances that we have seen before this president, even if we sometimes missed that quality or spark in the last third, with Osula having trouble getting into the game.

Although Goalscoring -Held Targett almost late in the first half became the villain, Espanyol saw an awkward mistake a penalty, while Michael Oliver pointed out the place.

Up stepped up Puado, before Ramsdale supplied a big save to deny the midfielder, so that the still a big cheers saw for our new No. 32.

Fantastic, @Aaronramsdale98! ⛔️ pic.twitter.com/ailidtbijk

– Newcastle United (@NUFC) August 8, 2025

The rest came and Hall was replaced by another young person in Alfie Harrison, who may still play a role in midfield if no new names are brought in before the window closes in a few weeks!

By that time we hopefully strengthened our attacking threat, because Will Osula seemed to struggle again when we got the nod from the out.

He sometimes tries to do things too quickly – not everything needs to be 100 km / h – and his hold -up game was dubious. Apart from a deflated shot and one or two volatile run on their back line, he did not pose much of a threat.

Everyone should leave the stadium today, but talk about Park Seung-Sooo. He was promising in both cameies in South Korea and he took his chance here again, this time from the start.

He hit a beautiful cross to the left of his left after he had hit his husband, often had the beating of the Espanyol-right-back, connected himself nicely and delivered a bad cross in the second half, this time on his right. He could also have demonstrated a penalty and showed a lot of promise before he was picked up just after the hour.

Another positive was Lewis Miley. He still comes back to his best after injuries had influenced his progress after that brilliant breakthrough season, but the long 19-year-old set a polished representation of our midfield three, with Bruno typically also all-action in a dominant representation of the skipper.

Just when it seemed as if the game would end the level, replacement Jacob Murphy still produced a moment to bring the score to 2-1, so that a risky defense of the Spaniards was devised: a textbook with a high-press newcastle goal.

Just when it seemed as if we finally achieved our first victory of the preseason, and also a deserved without looking at it particularly impressive, Kike went past Ramsdale with almost the last touch of the game. Again, our new stop couldn’t do much about it.

With more than 30,000 attendees, it feels like we have another level to reach if we want to take all three points in Villa Park next weekend. But throw in the will of Tonali, Botman, Joelinton, Elanga and a striker to the side of Friday evening, and we would go up another gear.

Signs that are needed, with the team still a midfielder, midfielder and two strikers short, especially if Alexander Isak continues to create to an exit.

Then we welded tomorrow before we compete against La Liga Giantico Madrid in the 4.30p kick-off at St James’.

How the boys.