"This is the best trip..." sang the travelling fans in Baku on Wednesday and they were right to do so, as the Magpies rewarded them for their 5,000 mile pilgrimage with a record-breaking display.

The club's lengthiest competitive trek ever saw Newcastle equal their largest margin of victory in a European away game, scoring six goals for the first time anywhere in their history.

United's Wizard of Az was Anthony Gordon, who became the first Magpie to score four goals in one European game during an incredible first half in which he wasted two other presentable chances.

Flanked by Harvey Barnes and Anthony Elanga, Gordon retained his place at the head of an attack with Nick Woltemade behind him once again in a deeper role to offset the continued absence of hamstring injury victim Bruno Guimaraes - watching from an oxygen chamber in his native Brazil.

Nick Pope returned behind an unchanged defence, with Malick Thiaw continued his scoring run before substitute Jacob Murphy rounded off the victory after Qarabag got one back shortly after the break.

Gordon's first came when he ran on to Dan Burn's precise pass in the third minute before firing home and when Thiaw headed in a Kieran Trippier cross just five minutes later, United's all-out assault and Qarabag's meek defence ended the game as a meaningful contest.

2-0 became 3-0 after the half hour when VAR highlighted UEFA's illogical protocols and United earned a penalty for an obviously accidental handball by Matheus Silva. Quite how an arm can come to be in an unnatural position when you're falling over with your back to the ball is beyond us frankly - this decision rivalled the one against us in Paris in 2023. At least they're consistent....

Gordon rattled that in and then completed his treble almost from the restart, as the home side totally capitulated and allowed the United number 10 a clear route to goal that he gleefully accepted.

Following 45 minutes of constant Newcastle attacking that Qarabag goalkeeper Mateusz Kochalski attempted to repel single-handedly with some success, the Polish custodian upended Gordon to concede another spot kick.

A brief conversation involving Trippier seemed to suggest that Woltemade be given the ball, but Gordon paid no heed and smashed in his fourth and Newcastle's fifth - echoing the short shrift that Alan Shearer gave the enquiring Paul Robinson during the 8-0 howking of Sheffield Wednesday.

Words were exchanged between Gordon and Trippier as the players left the field, several colleagues keeping them apart. Both appeared in an unchanged second half line-up however, and it was all smiles by the end - Trippier making a wry reference to boxing gloves at the training ground.

Nick Pope was caught out by a close range shot confirmed after a VAR check for offside, but normal service resumed after Murphy's shot deflected in off Badavi Huseynov and more United goals loomed: Dan Burn, Thiaw, William Osula and debutant Sean Neave all going close in the latter stages.

It's tempting to look at tonight and conclude that this was a mis-match highlighting the bloated current format of the Champions League, but only Ajax left here with three points after the league phase, Bayer Leverkusen and Copenhagen both beat and Chelsea clinging on for a 2-2 draw.

What looked a daunting quartet of away fixtures after losing at home to Brentford now sees Eddie Howe and his players head to the Etihad Stadium following a trio of victories and no less than 11 goals scored, despite the absence of their number nine.

That return to form may not alter Saturday's outcome, but in terms of confidence and positivity, we're light years away from the side booed off 12 days earlier. That followed a third successive defeat that raised questions over the manager's future, but not for the first time there has been a positive response and some common ground for the malcontents and happy clappers to occupy.

Barring an unprecedented turnaround in the second leg, United will take their place in the two-legged Round of 16 against Barcelona or Chelsea - ensuring that this will be their busiest season since 1969.

Hard work on and off the pitch, but old gits like note that this game fell on the anniversary of our 0-4 cup leathering at Exeter, a night when we played like Qarabag. The good old days mostly weren't.