Newcastle hit four in dominant Champions League win at Union Saint-Gilloise

Nick Woltemade answered Karl-Heinz Rummenigge’s “idiot” jibe in perfect style as he scored for the third time in four starts as Newcastle cruised to a 4-0 victory at Union Saint-Gilloise.

The 23-year-old, whose club record £69million transfer fee was heavily criticised by the Bayern Munich executive in the run-up to the game, scored with a clever 17th-minute flick which went in off defender Kevin Mac Allister as the Magpies secured their biggest win in the competition’s group phase.

Anthony Gordon’s penalty double either side of half-time and Harvey Barnes’ late strike secured the points at Lotto Park on a night when Sandro Tonali and Anthony Elanga shone in a first away win in the competition since Sir Bobby Robson’s side beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-1 in February 2003.

Victory earned the Magpies’ first points of the competition after their opening defeat to Barcelona.

Newcastle started brightly and Joelinton skied a hurried attempt over after keeper Kjell Scherpen had punched Tonali’s first-time cross to the edge of his penalty area and the Italy international was instrumental in breaking the deadlock with 17 minutes gone.

Elanga’s cross was cleared by defender Mac Allister and as Tonali fired towards goal, Woltemade flicked the ball on to the same man and past the wrong-footed Scherpen.

Gordon stabbed wide from a tight angle after running on to another Elanga cross four minutes later with Eddie Howe’s men threatening to take the game by the scruff of the neck, although Nick Pope had to save twice in quick succession from Adem Zorgane.

Joelinton headed just wide from Kieran Trippier’s 29th-minute cross and former Portsmouth defender Christian Burgess’ desperate sliding challenge prevented Gordon from converting yet another Elanga cross with eight minutes of the first half remaining.

The former Nottingham Forest winger was causing defender Fedde Leysen all kinds of problems and he did so again when he lured him into a rash challenge which left referee Urs Schnyder with little option to award a 43rd-minute penalty, which Gordon dispatched with aplomb.

Anouar Ait El Hadj lifted a shot over the angle of bar and post as the half drew to a close and the Magpies went in with a precious – and deserved – two-goal advantage.

It might have three within two minutes of the restart when, after Woltemade’s quick feet on halfway had sparked a fluent attack, Joelinton slid the ball in to Elanga, whose well-struck shot was saved by Scherpen at his near post.

However, the lead might also have been reduced with Anan Khalaili firing just wide after getting in behind Dan Burn and then Pope saving from Ousseynou Niang and Zorgane as the home side turned the screw.

But any momentum was shattered with 64 minutes gone when, after being advised to go to the pitchside monitor, the referee awarded the visitors a second penalty for handball against Leysen and Gordon, whose cross he had blocked, picked the same spot from 12 yards to make it 3-0.

Mathias Rasmussen and Sofiane Boufal both tested Pope as time ran down, but it was fellow substitutes Will Osula and Barnes who had the final say when they combined for the midfielder to score with 10 minutes left.