Bristol City secure pre-season victory
Bristol City achieved their second pre-season win, and their first under manager Michael Skubala, with a 4-1 victory over Newcastle United at Ashton Gate. Goals from Sam Greenwood, Lorent Tolaj, and Max Bird contributed to the scoreline, alongside an own goal from Sven Botman. This performance marked the Robins‘ best of the summer’s pre-season and under Skubala‘s management to date.
The match saw six of Bristol City‘s seven summer signings feature. Four of these new arrivals—Sam Tickle, Lisav Eissat, Greenwood, and Tolaj—started the game against Eddie Howe‘s side. Additionally, Jed Wallace and Gibson Yah came on as substitutes, while Brad Collins was stationed between the posts in a separate fixture at Forest Green Rovers.
Greenwood opened the scoring for Bristol City after 26 minutes with a right-footed free-kick. Shortly after, Tolaj extended the lead by shrugging off Botman and slotting the ball into the net. In the second half, Tolaj assisted Bird, who secured the third goal for the Robins. A late strike from Harvey Barnes for Newcastle was followed by Botman‘s own goal, which ensured Bristol City maintained their three-goal advantage.
Newcastle United’s line-up and preparations
Newcastle United travelled to Ashton Gate as part of their pre-season preparations for the new campaign, following a 1-1 draw against Gateshead. The starting eleven for Newcastle included Ewen Jaouen in goal, replacing Nick Pope. Sven Botman, who missed the previous match against Gateshead, started in central defence alongside Fabian Schär, who returned to action for the first time since January.
Jacob Murphy captained the visiting side and was expected to play at right-back, with Lewis Hall on the opposite defensive flank. Sean Steur retained his place in midfield alongside Joe Willock and Jacob Ramsey. Anthony Elanga, who represented Sweden at this summer’s FIFA World Cup finals, was also named in the starting line-up, as was Harvey Barnes, who recently signed a new long-term contract with the club. Sean Neave led the attack for Newcastle.
The Magpies‘ bench featured a youthful contingent, with nine of the 12 substitutes aged 20 or younger. These young players included Leo Shahar, who started in the outing at Gateshead International Stadium, along with Park Seung-soo, Trevan Sanusi, Dylan Charlton, Anthony Munda, Matheos Ferreira, and Mason Miley. Rory Finneran, an 18-year-old midfielder, aimed for his first public senior appearance after playing in a 3-0 friendly win against Darlington. Also on the bench were Alex Murphy, Miodrag Pivaš, and teenage goalkeeper Aidan Harris.
Manager’s perspective and upcoming fixtures
Michael Skubala expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance, particularly their transitions, despite acknowledging areas for improvement. He described the match as a “great night’s work” and emphasized that while the team still seeks to strengthen the squad before the transfer window closes, they are not in a rush to do so. Skubala highlighted the importance of finalising the “jigsaw puzzle” to ensure any new additions make the team even stronger.
The Robins manager noted that the recruitment process has been precise and excellent, with new players already making an impact. He stressed the importance of getting the new players right in the sequence of what the team aims to achieve. Skubala praised the team’s intensity, their fast and forward play, and their threat in transition moments.
Looking ahead, Bristol City faces a double-header this coming weekend, with away matches against Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City on Saturday afternoon. Following these fixtures, attention will turn to their first competitive game of the season, a Carabao Cup clash against Walsall next Thursday.
The last time Newcastle United visited Ashton Gate was in August 2016, when a goal from Dwight Gayle secured a 1-0 victory during their 2016/17 Championship title-winning campaign.
Source: newcastleunited.com
As News-GB.org's Sports Reporter, Eleanor Vance reports on tennis, cricket and athletics for readers across the country. She built her name on long-form athlete profiles. She holds a degree in Sport and Media from the University of Bath and completed an NCTJ diploma. Eleanor lives in Bath, where she swims competitively and follows British athletics. “A profile is only as good as the questions behind it.”