NEWCASTLE’S hopes of creating a new club record were shattered when Charlie Mulgrew’s second-half strike condemned them to a 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Blackburn Rovers.

The Magpies’ nine-game winning run came crashing to an end, and they saw their lead over Brighton at the top of the Championship cut to two points.

What were the major talking points to emerge from the game at St James’ Park?


TOO MANY CHANGES?

The Northern Echo:

With three games in the space of six games, it would have been impossible for Rafael Benitez to name the same side in all of Newcastle’s matches this week.

The Magpies manager has rotated his squad extremely effectively this season, so it would be unfair to be too critical of his selection choices this afternoon.

Nevertheless, the decision to change six of the players that started the 2-0 win at Leeds United last weekend undoubtedly contributed to the lack of cohesion and rhythm that hampered Newcastle all afternoon.

With half an eye on Tuesday’s EFL Cup quarter-final at Hull, did Benitez take things too far when he axed the likes of Jamaal Lascelles, Vurnon Anita and Dwight Gayle? And with things going so badly wrong, why did it take him until the 85th minute to introduce Gayle from the bench?


MITROVIC MISSING HIS SPARK

The Northern Echo:

A number of Newcastle’s players under-performed markedly, but the worst performer on the pitch was probably striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Named in the starting line-up ahead of Gayle, Mitrovic’s lack of pace and mobility was badly exposed as Mulgrew and Darragh Lenihan combined to mark him out of the game.

On far too many occasions, Mitrovic failed to retain possession with his back to goal, and there was little in the way of link-up play with Ayoze Perez as Blackburn snuffed out a series of Magpies attacks.

In fairness to Mitrovic, he suffered from a lack of service into the box, but on days such as this, he needs to be more pro-active and energetic. Had Gayle been starting, Blackburn’s defenders would almost certainly have had a tougher afternoon.


WINGERS WITHOUT A PRAYER

The Northern Echo:

This should have been a day for Christian Atsu and Matt Ritchie to prove their worth on the flanks, but instead, Newcastle’s wingers were completely ineffectual.

Ritchie failed to make an impression on the right-hand side, and having started the season like a house on fire, the Scotland international has hit something of a lull in recent weeks.

Atsu’s performance was even more of a worry, and while the Chelsea loanee has shone in patches this season, he is still to have a sustained impact on a run of matches.

Benitez’s 4-2-3-1 formation means there is a large amount of onus on the wide players to create problems for the opposition - when they misfire, Newcastle’s attacking can be predictable and one-paced.


THE TABLE CLOSES UP AGAIN

The Northern Echo:

So much for Newcastle running away with things and being promoted by Easter then. The Championship doesn’t work like that, and today’s results provided a salutary reminder that there will be plenty of twists and turns before the promotion race is decided.

Brighton were trailing to Fulham at one stage, but Chris Hughton’s side recovered to claim a 2-1 win and are now just two points behind Newcastle.

Third-placed Reading also won – 2-1 against Bristol City – and the gap between the Magpies and the play-off places is now just six points.

Indeed, with Birmingham and Sheffield Wednesday also winning, Newcastle were the only side in the top six to have played today who did not pick up three points. It is far too early to be counting any chickens when it comes to the battle to win promotion.


MANAGER’S COMMENTS:

The Northern Echo:

Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez said: “It was very disappointing because I didn’t like the way we started the game or the way the game was stopping all the time with free-kicks and corners.

“I didn’t like our reaction when we were losing, and we have to do better. I didn’t like the chances we didn’t take, and I didn’t like my decisions. But we cannot change things. We have to analyse what happened before the next game and make sure we don’t make the same mistakes.

“I knew that when you lose a game and you change your players, everyone blames the manager. I knew that. But in the same time, we have to show more character and more personality.

“We didn’t control the game the way we have been doing it. If you don’t perform at the level you have to perform, you have to give credit to them.”


Blackburn manager Owen Coyle said: “In my mind Newcastle will go on and win the Championship, I’ve got no doubt about that. The quality they have, it is there in abundance, they can make four or five changes and it doesn’t affect their team because of the quality.

“The only thing I would say is I would love to have a (Aleksandar) Mitrovic, I would love to have an (Christian) Atsu. They are the sort of outstanding players that are coming in and they are the luxury they have.

“If you want to put it in those terms, one of our biggest assets was sold to Newcastle for £6m (Grant Hanley) and he’s not making the team. That shows you the work we’ve got to do.

“£200m was spent in the Championship this summer, we spent £200,000 and we brought £10m in. So regardless of Newcastle making five, six, 11 changes, you can guarantee they are international players of real quality that are worth £10m or £12m.

“People might look at it, but what I do know is the best team won and they won on merit, because of what they put into the game. We were prepared to stand toe to toe with very good opponents, against a team that will win the league.”


LINE-UPS:

Newcastle (4-2-3-1): Darlow; Yedlin, Mbemba (Gayle 85), Clark, Gamez (Dummett 55); Shelvey, Hayden; Ritchie, Perez, Atsu; Mitrovic.

Subs (not used): Sels (gk), Lascelles, Anita, Gouffran, Diame.

Blackburn (4-4-2): Steele; Marshall, Lenihan, Mulgrew, Williams; Feeney, Lowe, Evans, Conway; Gallagher (Emnes 62), Graham.

Subs (not used): Raya (gk), Bennett, Brown, Nyambee, Akpan, Stokes.