Newcastle United face late transfer decision with £60m sitting in ‘reserve’ and injury blow

Things don’t get much more frustrating than that, do they?

Newcastle United’s surrender to 10-man Liverpool at St James’ Park is up there with one of the most meek, disappointing shows in recent memory, only amplified by the weight of expectation on the Magpies this campaign.

Here’s what we learned from the encounter - including some harsh lessons dealt to Eddie Howe and his players by Jurgen Klopp & Co.

Substitutions - how the game was won and lost

This was a match mostly decided by the substitutions made by both managers. One set weakened a side on top, the other bolstered one fighting for their lives.

Midway through the second period the Magpies were the team still in the ascendency. Creating chances from both flanks, all that was missing was that final bit of quality. Then came the switch.

The introduction of Darwin Nunez, with Diogo Jota gave Liverpool legs and a real threat in the final third. While taking Anthony Gordon off for Harvey Barnes proved pivotal in a negative sense for United. Gordon gave Trent Alexander-Arnold headaches galore, Barnes was wasteful and was nullified a little too easily by the full-back, who had looked shaky on a yellow card tightrope.

Without Joelinton and Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes, brilliant for 60 minutes, was too easily exposed. His error for the second goal cost Newcastle dear.

Striker panic - how Nunez was the puzzle Newcastle could not solve

For an hour, Sven Botman and Fabian Schar had nothing to contend with, well, nothing in the form of a proper central forward threat.

Cody Gakpo flattered to decieve, as he so often does, and caused little concern, but when Nunez was thrust into the United backline’s conciousness, calm was replaced by absolute panic. They had zero answers for the Uruguayan’s direct style and with the Magpies’ midfield overrun in the closing stages, he took full advantage of cavernous spaces on the Magpies’ left side.

Time to dip back into the transfer market?

Howe says the Magpies are done for the summer. I think lots will be questioning whether they have enough, especially after an injury to Sven Botman.

Newcastle have spent more than most this summer - including an eventual near £60million on two reserve full-backs.

How much of their business this summer has actually improved the team? At present, not a lot.

Now it is early, and likely no time to panic, but an injection of quality still feels like it is needed, in the key areas the Magpies have been looking to improve upon for the last two windows.

Pressure is a privilege?

Three games, two defeats is not the look Howe & Co wanted, especially the manner in which his side conducted themselves in that second half. It was, in truth, a pitiful surrender. The worst since Howe took over, especially given the circumstances.

Heading to Brighton it feels like the pressure is on. And we’ll soon see what this squad and the manager are made of, when the heat turns up on the south coast.

Three defeats out of four would be a bitter pill to swallow heading into the international break. It’s definitely not crisis time, but things could be a whole lot more nervy for the visit of Brentford to SJP, if Newcastle leave the Amex empty handed.