Anthony Gordon scores four as Newcastle hammer Qarabag in Champions League play-off

Newcastle's Anthony Gordon celebrates after scoring his fourth goal. Pic: AP Photo.

Qarabag 1 Newcastle United 6

Anthony Gordon plundered four goals as Newcastle took a stranglehold on their Champions League play-off against Qarabag with a rampant 6-1 first leg victory in Baku.

The 24-year-old England international needed just three minutes to eclipse Alan Shearer's club record of six goals in a single campaign and added three more before the break, two of them from the penalty spot, as the Magpies routed the champions of Azerbaijan in merciless style.

Indeed, had it not been for the efforts of goalkeeper Mateusz Kochalski, who made a string of fine saves during the first half but was also beaten by Malick Thiaw and Jacob Murphy, the scoreline at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium could have assumed even more epic proportions.

Eddie Howe's men will welcome Qarabag to St James' Park next Tuesday knowing they are all-but assured of a last-16 showdown with either Barcelona or Premier League rivals Chelsea.

They will do so having ended a difficult run of form with successive away wins over Tottenham, Aston Villa and the Azeris in different competitions with a league trip to Manchester City to come at the weekend.

Kochalski was picking the ball out of his net with less than three minutes gone when central defender Dan Burn surged upfield to pick out Gordon's run and the striker shot right-footed across the keeper to get his side off to the perfect start.

Thiaw then made it 2-0 after eight minutes when he headed home Kieran Trippier's cross.

Barnes and Gordon were both twice thwarted by the keeper in quick succession as the Magpies repeatedly cut the home defence to ribbons but he was powerless to prevent Gordon extending his side's lead from the penalty spot 13 minutes before the break after Matheus Silva was adjudged to have blocked a Barnes shot with his arm following a VAR review.

The former Everton forward completed his hat-trick - the first of his senior career - within seconds when he capitalised on central defender Kevin Medina's error to round Kochalski and score.

It was 5-0 in first-half stoppage time when, after the exposed keeper had brought down Gordon, the forward beat him from the spot for the second time to claim his fourth of the night.

Gordon and Trippier appeared to have a difference of opinion as they left the field at half-time but the pair returned in harmonious mood, although they saw their side's lead reduced within nine minutes when Elvin Jafarguliyev squeezed a shot through Nick Pope.

Dangerman Joni Montiel forced Pope into an uncomfortable save and Trippier did just enough to deflect a Pedro Bicalho piledriver wide with the home side vastly improved, but substitute Murphy made it six with a 72nd-minute effort which went in off Jafarguliyev.

Kochalski made a stunning double save from Burn and substitute Will Osula at the death to spare Qarabag further punishment and 18-year-old Sean Neave very nearly marked his debut with a late strike, but the damage had already been done.