Monaco outclass Newcastle

IT WOULD be tempting to use the phrase "Monte Carlo and bust" for Newcastle last night but that would hardly convey the magnitude of the hammering that smashed Newcastle's UEFA Cup hopes to smithereens here.

Appropriately in an amphitheatre such as the Stade Louis II, Newcastle were mauled by the French champions-elect who added to their 1-0 victory at St James' Park with a first-half goal from Sylvain Legwinski and two after half-time by Ali Benarbia.

The 4-0 aggregate scoreline represents Newcastle's worst European defeat and the remainder of this season will be underwhelming for Kenny Dalglish and the Toon Army.

Dalglish had sprung no selection surprises by sticking with the personnel and formation that had put four past Coventry on Saturday, with Les Ferdinand not even making the bench.

It promised to be a lonely night for Faustino Asprilla, although the Colombian and the rest of the Newcastle team must have been encouraged by the sight of Monaco's goalkeeper Barthez, who initially sported a mask-cum-eyepatch.

But the mask was off by the time that Barthez flapped at a 14th minute David Ginola free-kick and Newcastle had established a steady if unthreatening passing rhythm.

Skaka Hislop had no genuine save to make until the 32nd minute, when Henry got the better of Steve Watson in a left-wing tussle and cut inside to shoot low with his right. But Monaco had already applied ominous pressure, in particular on Watson, who was having great trouble in matching the explosive Henry for pace.

On the opposite wing Benarbia gave Robbie Elliott a similar roasting in the third minute and from the inevitable free-kick John Collins's curling centre was nervously and unconvincingly nodded away by Darren Peacock and then Warren Barton.

Monaco's dangerous breaking was well known from the first leg but here it was initially less frequent and it was courtesy of the referee Diaz Vega that their first genuinely dangerous opening arrived in the 38th minute.

Penalising Hislop for too many steps, Diaz Vega awarded a free-kick 17 yards out and directly in front of goal. Anderson's shot was well blocked by the wall but there was now a momentum to Monaco's play that was swelling like a wave.

Four minutes late? it crashed all over Newcastle and not for the first time, either domestically or in Europe, the goal resulted from defensive vulnerability.

Barton had already just got himself out of trouble when he gave the ball to Watson. His pass to Peter Beardsley was rushed and it. found him dawdling 25 yards out. The leggy Legwinksi pounced as Beardsley dallied and sent a first-time volley screaming past Hislop at full stretch. The shot took a deflection off Philippe Albert but it would have been unstoppable.

Beardsley was left head in hands but he emerged for the second half as part of a more attacking line-up that saw Ginola playing closer to Asprilla. Not surprisingly the game elongated at once and, all too predictably, that was not to Newcastle's benefit. Only an uncharacteristic scuff by Benarbia after a muscular surge along the 19ft by Petit prevented Monaco going further ahead.

It was just a temporary reprieve, though, as Monaco scored again barely five minutes after the interval. This time it was the sheer verve of Anderson that initiated the goal. Skating past Albert, it required a rush from his line by Hi slop to stop the Brazilian; the ball was still alive, however, and Henry's follow-up shot hit Peacock in the face and the ricochet fell to Benarbia. This time Benarbia struck truly into the corner of the net. He added another on 67 minutes to complete Newcastle's miserable night.