IT was a night that will live long in the memory on Tyneside and was the "benchmark" for what Eddie Howe wants from his Newcastle United side - but after analysing the game in the immediate aftermath the head coach has never watched back the brilliant 4-1 dismantling of PSG in full.

United made the rest of Europe sit up and take notice when they blew the French champions away a year ago today.

“It’s funny because I watched it live and analysed the game but I haven’t seen it since," revealed Howe 12 months on.

"And once you analyse the game properly you put it to bed so I’ve got no idea how that looks now.

"Watching the game now, I might watch it through different eyes. At the time it felt like a great performance. Obviously I’ve seen the goals again because they get replayed but I haven’t got back through the game."

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He might not have had it on repeat for the last 12 months but Howe wants more of what he experienced that night - both in terms of the performance from his side and the occasion.

“I think we'll forever remember that game – or I and I'm sure a lot of people will remember that game – as the benchmark of what we want nights at St James' Park to look like," he said.

“It's a great performance, goals against a high-class opposition, the atmosphere was on a totally different level. It was an amazing night.

“Unfortunately for us, it was one big highlight and that's the frustration for us because after that game, we wanted to continue in the same vein and try to repeat that consistently. It wasn't to be and now it remains a memory.

“We want that memory, of course, to live a long time, but we want to create new memories and that's always the challenge when you're in my shoes, to try to inspire people and try to focus everyone's energies to get back there."

This year Howe is watching the Champions League from his sofa rather than the dugout.

"I'm looking at it through the lens of if we were there now," he said.

"I'd love to be part of it, it's the first year of the new format and you're always thinking with a Newcastle hat on and how it would be for us. I try not to live in that world too long because you're always thinking of the next game.

"I have half an eye on what's going on around Europe but it's not my primary focus."

There's no European football for the Magpies this season and while missing out was a major blow at the end of last term, it at least ensures a more manageable schedule.

Howe said: "There was a time last year where we were losing players from injury too regularly and then the games were looming large for us and we got to a point where we were at breaking point, really.

“We had 11 players to pick from and we were asking those players to play every two or three days. It was a very difficult period for us and results ultimately suffered at the end, so I think probably November, December will be the time when maybe we might see the benefit of not being in Europe.

“But that was still our wish and our aim to get there, so we're not looking at it in that way, if that makes sense."