Five talking points as Newcastle thrash PSG at raucous St James' Park

Newcastle thrashed Paris Saint-Germain 4-1 as the Champions League returned to St James' Park for the first time in 20 years.

Miguel Almiron, Dan Burn, Sean Longstaff and Fabian Schar netted for the hosts, with Lucas Hernandez's header in the second half not enough to prevent Eddie Howe's men from claiming a historic victory and topping Group F.

Here are the key talking points from a thrilling evening on Tyneside.

Loony Toon

Newcastle fans have waited a long time for Champions League football to return and a sensational crowd welcomed it back in style.

It was no surprise to see the Toon faithful passionately will their team on throughout, with the noise rising up a few decibels every time the hosts entered the opposition half from kick-off onwards.

While undoubted underdogs against PSG’s superstars, a packed-out St James' Park can prove a match for any side — as it brilliantly proved once again.

Miggy magic

Fast starts are often the order of the day for Howe's men at home and that was no different here as Almiron etched himself into Geordie folklore.

High pressing forced Marquinhos into a misplaced pass in a dangerous area before Bruno Guimaraes' effort fell into the path of the popular Paraguayan, who made no mistake with the finish.

Written off by so many early in his career on Tyneside, the 29-year-old showed the step up to Europe's elite competition is one he can manage this season.

Local heroes

The fairytale stories were in abundance on Tyneside as local lads Burn and Longstaff enjoyed moments to savour.

Burn, who regularly took care of tricky opposite number Ousmane Dembele, did not let a lengthy VAR check stifle celebrations after his bundled header doubled the hosts' lead.

Similar can be said for Longstaff, who had his moment in front of the Gallowgate End after impressively firing home from a tight angle after a driving run.

Pressure in Paris already

Luis Enrique is barely into his role in the French capital but will know better than any that an underperformance in this competition usually proves fatal.

Having failed to win four of their first seven Ligue 1 games, Kylian Mbappe and Co were second-best throughout and Hernandez's 56th-minute header was the first time the visitors had a shot on goal.

Despite PSG's Qatari chiefs taking a new approach in their hunt to finally conquer Europe this term, a humbling evening tonight could mean he is on borrowed time already.

In command

Many of a Newcastle persuasion winced when they first learned their star-studded group-stage opponents — and they will be delighted to finish Matchday 2 in top spot.

Tonight's result — sealed by Schar's injury-time stunner — and a spirited if unconvincing point at AC Milan is a handy return so far and the Rossoneri's draw with Borussia Dortmund leaves the Toon in command on four points.

Home advantage will certainly be crucial but qualification to the knockout stages is not the far-fetched possibility some made it out to be when the draw was made.