Eddie Howe explains Newcastle United Champions League U-turn ahead of PSG match

Newcastle United trained at Parc des Princes ahead of Tuesday night's Champions League tie against Paris Saint-Germain (8pm kick-off).

It is the first time The Magpies opted to train at their opponents' group ahead of a Champions League match having opted to train at Darsley Park ahead of the trips to AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund. Newcastle haven't fared well on their European travels so far this season with no goals and just one point on the continent.

Explaining the decision to change his side's approach ahead of the PSG match, Howe said: "Change of feel. Just a different routine. You never know how these things effect you, or how you perform.

"Results you can never guarantee, but we are looking for an improved performance from our last two away games [in the Champions League], that's why we have done what we have.

"Some players might look at that and feel they might need or want it [to train at opposition ground]. For us, it gave us more recovery time.

"Gave the players a little bit longer with their families this morning and allowed us to travel a little bit later. It was quite important for us with the schedule to maybe pinch a little bit more time with their families before they leave."

And when asked if not training at the opponents' stadium before the matches at Milan and Dortmund impacted his side's performance, Howe added: "Personally, no. But there is no harm in ever trying something different."

Newcastle's opening Champions League group stage game at AC Milan saw Howe and his squad arrive late in Italy after training at home on the Monday. "We have just been trying to get our preparation and gameplan right," Howe said when justifying the decision to train at Darsley Park ahead of the 0-0 draw in Milan. "Trying to make sure we are as organised as we can be

“We never thought of coming earlier in the day so we could do our tactical work behind closed doors, for me that’s so important because of the small time between games so it was really valuable that we did that.”