Newcastle United star 'nowhere near his usual standards' as another man shines v Borussia Dortmund

When you’re dining at Europe’s top table, things are never going to be easy - and for Newcastle United their Champions League hopes hang by a thread.

A 2-0 loss at Borussia Dortmund, no thanks to goals from Niclas Fullkrug and Julian Brandt, has left them fighting for their lives in this year’s ‘Group of Death’, needing what looks like six points from their final two games to progress.

It was a disappointing night all round for the Magpies in Signal Iduna Park - and here’s NewcastleWorld’s FIVE key takeaways from Germany.

The finest of fine margins prove decisive

Football is a game full of ifs, buts and maybes. Winners never have them, but losers undoubtedly do.

For Newcastle, it was a tale of two chances, across two matches that felt like they decided the club’s fate in this competition.

Had Callum Wilson tucked away his clear chance in the first game, it felt like the wind was very much in the Magpies’ direction. Similarly, if Joelinton heads home in the second half last night, things could well have turned on their head.

Lack of balance - changes over best XI

Howe could never keep flogging the same players over and over. And so, partly for that reason, he switched things up a little in Germany.

Lewis Hall was thrown in and so too Tino Livramento and Joe Willock. Out dropped Anthony Gordon and Miguel Almiron as well as injured Dan Burn.

The team lost a lot of what makes it great, including the triangles created by Kieran Trippier, Sean Longstaff and Almiron down the right. It was a touch disjointed in places and at this level, that kind of thing gets punished.

Howe may well have been attempting to get through to the final 30 and have big players in reserve. It didn’t quite work on the day, that’s not saying it wouldn’t on any given other.

Livramento at home at this level

One player stood head and shoulders above any other, including those in yellow and black. His name is Tino Livramento. Few will forget it once they’ve seen him stretching those long legs in black and white.

The England youth international has started three games for the Magpies and been man of the match in all three. Consider the opposition: Manchester City, Manchester United and Borussia Dortmand. A star is being born, a star with shades of a right-footed Gareth Bale with the recovery ability of a Kyle Walker.

Tough task for Hall

He wasn't given much of a chance when he was booked early doors for absolutely nothing, but it was another tough night, on the toughest stage for Champions League debutant Hall.

It's tough judging a lad of 19, with little to no first-team football either at Newcastle or Chelsea, but he must be held to the same standards as every other player in green on the night, and he was poor for the goal, not once but twice.

It's not easy for anyone at this level, so there's no shame in that. I'm sure his time will come.

And a tough night for the most experienced, too!

If I'm to mention the performance of a youngster, it would be wrong of me not to call out a senior member of the Magpies' squad for an underpar performance. Put simply, United's chances on the night were killed when a poor ball by Trippier sent Dortmund on their way for their second.

His delivery from right or left was nowhere near his usual standards, and on nights like this everyone has to be at their very best. The England international wasn't.