For 70 minutes, this was a Newcastle United away performance which had been seen before.
Eddie Howe’s side struggled away from St James’ Park last season — going over four months without an away victory midway through the season and conceding the fourth-most goals in the league. Their 2-0 loss away to Bournemouth in November was this period’s nadir — a night which ended with Kieran Trippier arguing with a fan on the touchline.
Newcastle had excuses then. An injury crisis had engulfed the club. It was the first season in which they had to deal with a glut of European fixtures.
But new seasons are meant to signify new beginnings — and this was another game away from the north east in which Newcastle lost duels, struggled to link play and lacked intensity. They will have to travel 9,425 miles this campaign, a Premier League record.
There were 11 defeats last season — and Newcastle deserve credit for hauling a point from a 1-1 draw this time. Howe adjusted with four substitutes early in the second half, and a 15-minute burst of form saw Anthony Gordon cancel out Marcus Tavernier’s opener, created by replacement Harvey Barnes. Last season, they lacked the oomph off the bench to make those interventions.
“I thought the substitutes transformed our performance,” said a relieved Howe. “They deserve huge credit. It’s a really good point for us.”
A ‘good point’ is code for a fortunate point — and that context matters in this Newcastle performance.
They were fortunate that what appeared to be a late winner from Dango Ouattara was disallowed for handball, when it was on the threshold of shoulder and arm.
They were fortunate that Antoine Semenyo did not produce more than one assist — he could have ended the day with two goals and three assists, if not for the woodwork, the length of Evanilson’s toes, and an Emil Krafth block. They are fortunate that Joelinton wasn’t sent off for a rash bodycheck on Neto in added time, potentially depriving them of a midfield option just as another, Sandro Tonali, returns.
Joelinton escaped punishment for this on Neto (Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)
The equation is simple — Newcastle have to continue evolving if they are to avoid the away record of last season. The only new signing to start was Lloyd Kelly — who endured a torrid afternoon at Semenyo’s hands on his return to the club he left in the summer — with Howe reiterating previous comments post-match by calling this window “the toughest I’ve had as a manager”.
It is three years since Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) bought Newcastle, and in the second game of the season, the starting centre-back combination was Dan Burn and Krafth. This is not a criticism of either player — they have rarely erred when called upon by Howe, especially at centre-back — but have their limitations, and are a surprising starting duo for a Champions League contender, even given Sven Botman’s injury and Fabian Schar’s suspension.
Krafth could have exited the club this summer if a right-sided centre-back had arrived early in the window. Newcastle’s pursuit of cover in this position will go to the window’s final days, whether that is in the form of Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, still their priority option, or another target.
There were other concerns. Newcastle struggled to win duels out wide, with Semenyo and Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez finding particular success against Kelly and Jacob Murphy in particular.
This was Kelly’s full debut for Newcastle, and he will need time to settle, but it was notable that Howe went out of his way to praise his replacement Lewis Hall when asked about Kelly’s performance in the post-match press conference. Hall was substituted at half-time in last season’s game here — his continued development is another way that Newcastle can evolve.
Right wing is Newcastle’s other priority position — with Murphy and Miguel Almiron still representing their first-choice options, despite the Paraguay forward’s potential departure this window. However, should the club spend significant money on a centre-back, their profit and sustainability position means it is likely that a player will need to depart to facilitate the arrival of a permanent signing in another position.
Murphy made way for Barnes after 58 minutes (ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)
To his credit, Howe found a solution in the closing minutes. With Barnes and Gordon best off the left, he has been reluctant to play the pair together — citing “balance” after the match. However, with limited options, he made the decision to replace Murphy after 58 minutes. The circumstances of the equaliser — one crossing for the other to tap in — shows the potential they have together.
Barnes’ cameo continued to push his case to start after playing well in pre-season. Sidelined for over four months with a toe injury last year, his development is another way that Newcastle can evolve outside the transfer market. Another is Tonali, who is available to return from his 10-month gambling ban against Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.
Despite the impact that this pair will have, Howe was still pointed in his desire for new sporting director Paul Mitchell to secure arrivals in the final five days of the transfer window.
“I don’t like to use the term ‘like a new signing’ (about Sandro),” Howe said. “Then people will say: ‘Well you’ve got what you need.’”
Was he confident Newcastle would make those additions? “I don’t know how to answer that,” he said. “We’ll carry on our business. We’re not in control of it — so we’ll see.”
(Top photo: Krafth deputised for Schar at Bournemouth. Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)
