Eddie Howe has challenged his players to ride out the wave of chaos which has engulfed the club as Newcastle attempt to rediscover their best form.
The Magpies sailed serenely through last season as they gatecrashed the Premier League’s top four to secure a first Champions League adventure for two decades.
This time around, Howe’s expensively-assembled squad is riven by injury and suspension and the control they exerted for much of the last campaign has deserted them.
Speaking after Saturday’s 2-2 Premier League draw with Bournemouth, in which they trailed twice, Howe said: “I’m well aware and I think people who watch us regularly are aware, that we’re not at full power at the moment, we’re not at our fluent best but I think the reasons for that are obvious.
“We are a bit disjointed. We had players playing today who maybe wouldn’t be in their best positions given a free hand. But everyone is giving as much as they can to get consistent results.
“We have to look at the positives: it’s another game unbeaten for us; we’re getting points where we went through a spell when we weren’t.
“That was a big late goal for us. It just keeps that momentum. Of course we’re looking for three points in every home game, so we’re disappointed with certain aspects as well.”
Newcastle went into the game without a recognised striker after Callum Wilson joined Alexander Isak on the sidelines alongside key midfielders Joelinton and Sandro Tonali and first-choice goalkeeper Nick Pope.
The balance of the team has been affected significantly by those and other absences – they have scored 17 goals in their last seven league games but conceded 19, four of them against Luton in their last game at St James’ Park a fortnight ago when they had to come back from 4-2 down to claim a point.
This time around, they trailed to Dominic Solanke’s opener after he pounced upon a slip by keeper Martin Dubravka and then Antoine Semenyo’s sweet strike.
Anthony Gordon had cancelled out Solanke’s 16th goal of the season from the spot and substitute Matt Ritchie levelled at the death.
Howe said: “We never know when we’re beaten. At 2-1 today, it would have been easy to not respond – just as it would have been at 4-2 down against Luton. That’s down to the character of the players.”
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola left Tyneside proud of a creditable performance, but fuming at the outcome.
He said: “Today for me, it’s difficult to feel happy. I’m really happy with the performance. I think we deserved the three points.
“We came to a very difficult stadium with tough opposition and I think we did really well. We played very brave with high energy, we had the better chances, we were in front twice and to end with just one point, it’s not what we deserved today.”
Salah makes Premier League history in Anfield thriller
Mohamed Salah made more Premier League history as he scored and provided an assist in Liverpool's 4-2 win over Tottenham.
Salah, who had a public disagreement with outgoing Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp during last week's 2-2 draw with West Ham, was back at his best as the Reds returned to winning ways on Sunday.
He opened the scoring in the 16th minute at Anfield, where Liverpool cruised into a 4-0 lead before Spurs fought back to make matters interesting late on.
Harvey Elliott curled in Liverpool's fourth goal, having received a pass from Salah, who in the process went into the Premier League's record books.
Salah is the first player in Premier League history to score 10+ goals and provide 10+ assists in three consecutive seasons.
Meanwhile, he is also only the second player to tally 10+ in both in five separate seasons in the competition overall, after Wayne Rooney.
"Mo was absolutely outstanding," Klopp told Sky Sports.
Salah's earlier goal had also seen him draw level with Harry Kane as the highest goalscorer in Premier League matches between Liverpool and Spurs, with nine. He is also squandered a great chance to make it 5-2, before seeing a goal disallowed for offside in stoppage time.
Indeed, the fixture itself is now the highest-scoring one in Premier League history, having overtaken Arsenal v Liverpool.
Liverpool 4-2 Tottenham: Salah shines as Reds swat aside Spurs
Liverpool got back to winning ways with a 4-2 win over Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday, though they had to survive a late Spurs push.
Mohamed Salah and Harvey Elliott were the stars, getting a goal and an assist each to help the Reds avoid a third straight home defeat in all competitions.
Andrew Robertson and Cody Gakpo got in on the act as Liverpool cruised into a 4-0 lead, though Richarlison and Son Heung-min scored to make matters interesting, ensuring this fixture became the highest-scoring in Premier League history in the process.
Spurs remain in fifth, seven points below Aston Villa in fourth, while Liverpool are third, five points off leaders Arsenal, though they would need an almighty slip-up from either of the top two to stand a chance of winning the title.
The warning signs were there early from Liverpool, with Guglielmo Vicario smothering Salah’s shot on the line before Cristian Romero cleared Elliott’s follow-up.
Salah grabbed the opener 16 minutes in, latching onto Gakpo’s cross to cushion his 18th goal of the season past Vicario, who got a hand to it.
The Reds’ dominance continued – Luis Diaz tried an acrobatic attempt and Elliott saw a curler saved by Vicario, but Liverpool’s pressure told again before the break.
Vicario got down to Salah’s crisp effort but could only parry it into the path of Robertson, who tucked into an open net on the rebound.
Spurs’ display did not improve after the break, and Gakpo thumped in Elliott’s cross after Emerson Royal was dispossessed.
Elliott capped a fine individual display in the 59th minute, curling a sumptuous shot into the top-left corner, giving Vicario no chance.
Richarlison’s introduction from the bench sparked Spurs into life, as he slotted in his 11th goal of the campaign with 18 minutes remaining.
The Brazil international turned from scorer to provider five minutes later, laying it off for Son to finish.
Salah squandered a great chance to put the contest to bed at the other end, but Alisson denied Richarlison a second – with Joe Gomez preventing Brennan Johnson nodding in the rebound – as Liverpool saw out a morale-boosting win in Jurgen Klopp’s penultimate home game.
Salah back on song
Salah grabbed the headlines last week after a spat with Klopp on the touchline during Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at West Ham.
But, restored to the starting XI, Salah was back on form on Sunday. He hit the crossbar before he opened the scoring, and then got an assist when he teed up Elliott – that makes him the first player in Premier League history to score 10+ goals and provide 10+ assists in three consecutive seasons. He is also only the second player to tally 10+ in both in five separate seasons in the competition overall, after Wayne Rooney.
Salah, who had a goal ruled out for offside late on, has now netted 12 goals against Spurs, only scoring more against Manchester United (14) in all competitions, while he is also the joint-top scorer in Liverpool v Tottenham matches in the Premier League, scoring nine, level with Harry Kane.
Super-sub Richarlison
Spurs, who have lost four league games in a row for the first time since November 2004, were left to rue a dismal showing for the first hour, but would things have been different had Ange Postecoglou used Richarlison from the start?
The former Everton man has been linked with a move away from Spurs this week, but he turned the tide at Anfield, where he has scored three times in the Premier League.
Richarlison’s hold-up play and pass into Son for Spurs’ second was also excellent. That goal from the South Korean was the 191st scored in this fixture in the Premier League, meaning it overtook Arsenal v Liverpool as the fixture with the most goals in the competition’s history.
Maguire's league season over as Man Utd confirm muscle injury
Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has suffered a muscle injury that will see him miss the final games of the Premier League season.
United face Crystal Palace on Monday, before rounding off their Premier League campaign with some tough fixtures against title-chasing Arsenal, fellow European hopefuls Newcastle United and then Brighton.
However, Erik ten Hag will have to do without centre-back Maguire, with the England international set to miss around three weeks with a muscular problem, further compounding United's injury issues in defence.
That time frame also casts Maguire's participation in the FA Cup final, which takes place on May 25, into doubt.
United will take on holders and rivals Manchester City in the Wembley showpiece, which is a repeat of last season's final.
England manager Gareth Southgate will be hoping the defender recovers fully in time for Euro 2024.
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