Analysis: Away-day frustrations continue for Newcastle

It has become a familiar theme.

As good as Newcastle have been at home, they continue to struggle on the road - even when ahead.

Eddie Howe's side have taken the lead in each of their last three away games, against Marseille, Brentford and West Ham, only to lose all three.

And this defeat will certainly sting - just days after an impressive Premier League win against Manchester City at St James' Park.

But Newcastle only had themselves to blame.

The visitors did not press home their advantage, and will have been relieved to still be ahead at half-time after Marseille spurned a number of early openings.

But it was the French side who looked like they had a jolt at the break - not least Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Boss Howe felt the frontman looked "as good as ever" before this game, and those words proved rather prophetic.

But how Newcastle will rue their sloppy kick-off, even before Nick Pope's rush of blood to the head, after the visitors gave the ball away and failed to win a number of duels in Marseille's half.

Anthony Gordon had his head in his heads following Aubameyang's equaliser, but Newcastle's evening went from bad to worse just a few minutes later when he put Marseille in front to leave Fabian Schar stunned on the turf.

Howe turned to his bench - calling on Lewis Hall, Lewis Miley, Anthony Elanga and record signing Nick Woltemade - but his side never truly looked like equalising.

Remarkably, this team has won only once - 4-0 at Union St Gilloise in the Champions League - on their travels in all competitions in the last seven months.