NEWCASTLE UNITED made light work of their first cup outing of the season, easing past League Two Northampton Town with a 4-1 victory at St James’ Park.

Florian Thauvin scored his first goal for Newcastle and played a part in three more, turning supplier for Siem De Jong, Daryl Janmaat and Mike Williamson.

It was everything that McClaren had promised it to be. A professional, workmanlike performance from Newcastle United. And although Cobblers striker Marc Richards pulled it back to 2-1 from the penalty spot, Magpies did not need to get out of third gear to see off their opponents.

For all McClaren’s promises of taking the cup seriously, a refreshing attitude to take on Tyneside considering the ignorance of all things knockout in the recent past, it was surprising to see nine changes on his first Capital One Cup teamsheet since taking up the head coach role over the summer.

Just Ayoze Perez and Massadio Haidara remained in the XI that travelled to Manchester United on Saturday, with McClaren giving home debuts to Karl Darlow, Jamal Lascelles and Thauvin.

Darlow and Lascelles were 2014 purchases for the Magpies from Nottingham Forest, but were loaned back to the City Ground for the entirety of last season.

And for Thauvin, with his first glimpse of action at St James’ Park, it did not take long before he was on the scoresheet.

Last time Northampton travelled to St James’ Park was in 1987, where they lost 2-0 to the Magpies. That day, they were managed by Graham Carr – now United’s chief scout, who had kept tabs on Thauvin and made him a priority signing for McClaren’s side.

And the Frenchman, a £12million signing from Marseille last week, managed to stick a toe on the end of a Haidara deep cross three minutes in to give Newcastle the lead.

It was two five minutes later when De Jong glanced home Thauvin’s free-kick from the right side of midfield, before Northampton attacked from the kick-off and won a penalty when Cheik Tiote, making his first start of the season, handled in the area. Skipper Richards drove his spot-kick straight down the middle.

It was a frenetic opening to the game, and the intensity continued when Richards, a classic hustling and bustling League Two centre-forward, had a shot deflected to safety from Nicky Adams’ cross, before diving in to head one wide moments later.

Newcastle, however, were comfortable going forward, and were denied by Cobblers keeper Ryan Clarke when Janmaat, back from suspension after his dismissal at Swansea City, exchanged passes with Perez and drew a smart stop from Clarke.

Northampton defender Ryan Cresswell cleared one off the line for the visitors when Janmaat turned supplier for Perez and the striker headed goalwards.

Newcastle had the ball in the net on 37 minutes when Thauvin, cutting in from the right on to his stronger left foot, screwed his pass to Perez, who skipped the challenge and brought another excellent save out of Clarke. Thauvin volleyed home the rebound, but was offside.

Yoan Gouffran, playing in a deep role alongside Cheick Tiote, rifled a shot wide after the restart following good work by Perez, who was comfortable in the lone striker’s role for Magpies.

There was never going to be any threat of this being a banana skin for Newcastle. Northampton were organised and resolute, but McClaren’s team selection, albeit changed from the weekend, was far too strong for the League Two outfit.

De Jong was a bright spark behind Perez and his move led to Newcastle’s third of the evening when he found Thauvin, who laid off a perfect pass to the incoming Janmaat, who slid his shot past Clarke.

Thauvin’s excellent debut was capped with another free-kick which Williamson powered home to give the Magpies an unassailable 4-1 lead on 63 minutes.

Williamson, in the side for the first time this season after McClaren rested captain Fabricio Coloccini, had to be on defensive duty on 69 minutes when he cleared over his own bar under pressure from Cresswell, as the Cobblers sought to make a fist of a fightback.

Ivan Toney, who signed for Newcastle from Northampton over the summer, was reunited with his former side when he was a 78th minute replacement for Haidara. The travelling Cobblers fans applauded their old striker on to the field but his appearance was merely a cameo as Newcastle saw their victory out.