Newcastle: Four key talking points from the Magpies' latest FA Cup embarrassment - plus Rafael Benitez's reaction

The Magpies conceded three second-half goals at the Kassam Stadium, with Aleksandar Mitrovic seeing a second-half penalty saved into the bargain, as Oxford ran out deserved winners.

What were the major talking points from Newcastle’s cup capitulation?

CHANGES – BUT NOT FOR THE BETTER

Rafael Benitez made a host of changes for both of Newcastle’s third-round games with Birmingham City, but watched his side progress. Today, the alterations caught up with him.

Only Isaac Hayden and Ayoze Perez remained from the side that beat Rotherham in the league last weekend, and too many of the fringe players that came into the side were simply not up to the task.

Curtis Good was shaky at the back, Jesus Gamez were repeatedly exposed at full-back and neither Dan Barlaser nor Yasin Ben El-Mhanni were able to exert much of an influence in midfield.

Benitez will justifiably claim that winning promotion from the Championship has to be the priority this season, but both Alan Pardew and Steve McClaren were heavily criticised for playing weakened teams in the cup competitions. Admittedly, circumstances have changed, but Newcastle’s wretched cup record continues whoever is at the helm.

MITROVIC MISERY

A certain degree of rustiness in Aleksandar Mitrovic’s play would have been understandable given the striker’s three-week injury lay off. However, his recent absence couldn’t excuse the lacklustre level of performance this afternoon.

Not for the first time, Mitrovic appeared more interested in wrestling with his opposing centre-half than trying to put the ball in the net.

He wasted two gilt-edged chances in the first half by placing his shots much too close to goalkeeper Simon Eastwood, and compounded the errors after the interval as he struck a tame spot-kick that was also saved.

With three goals in his last three games, Daryl Murphy has undoubtedly leapt ahead of Mitrovic in the attacking pecking order. Once Dwight Gayle returns from injury, the Serbian will be fortunate to even find himself on the bench.

SET-PIECE SUSCEPTABILITY

Oxford played some decent football as they threatened to run riot in the closing stages, but their opening two goals came from routine set-pieces that exposed a weakness at the heart of the Newcastle defence.

Admittedly, Jamaal Lascelles and Ciaran Clark, who would normally have been in the penalty area, were rested. But that still doesn’t excuse the ease with which Kane Hemmings and Curtis Nelson both scored.

The switch to three centre-halves didn’t work, with neither Good nor Massadio Haidara boasting enough of an aerial presence to contain a physically-imposing Oxford side.

And for all that he arrived to quite a fanfare last summer, Grant Hanley was also found wanting. The Scotsman was touted as a potential skipper when he signed from Blackburn, but his performances so far have hardly set the world alight.

THE NEED FOR TRANSFERS IS OBVIOUS – AND THE CLOCK IS STILL TICKING

If Newcastle’s latest FA Cup debacle proved anything, it is that the squad is nowhere near as deep as some would have had you believe at the start of the season.

Jonjo Shelvey’s five-game absence exposed a lack of options at the heart of midfield, and Gayle’s injury has revealed similar issues up front. Defensively, you worry what would happen if either Lascelles or Clark – or heaven forbid, both – were to pick up serious setbacks.

Benitez is clearly becoming frustrated at Newcastle’s failure to make a signing this month, and if Tuesday’s transfer deadline passes without an addition, it will be interesting to see if he is prepared to continue to bite his tongue.

Negotiations over Crystal Palace winger Andros Townsend remain ongoing, and Newcastle also remain interested in Everton’s James McCarthy. With deadline-day fast approaching, however, a transfer breakthrough remains elusive.

MANAGER’S COMMENTS:

Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez said: “We didn’t underestimate Oxford. We didn’t take our chances in the first half, then we missed a penalty, and they took the chances that came their way. We didn’t mark properly from the corners and we gave the ball away. You have to give credit to them because they were fighting for the result, but we made too many mistakes.

“We had to make the changes. It is very clear. I said before the game that if we were going to go through, it had to be with the squad, and if we couldn’t do that, then we couldn’t. We could have been ahead in the first half, but we didn’t do it and then we paid for the first mistake in the second half and that was it.

“I have said all along that experience and balance are the key if you want to be consistent in the Championship because you play so many games in a few days without too much time. I said that if we go through, we will do it with the squad. If we cannot, we cannot. Obviously, I feel sorry for the fans, and also for us because we wanted to go through. We could have done it in the first half. Now, we have to analyse why we made the mistakes and be ready for the next game.”

Oxford manager Michael Appleton said: “The fact they made the changes doesn’t detract from what we’ve achieved. Having watched the Birmingham game (third-round replay) back, I knew the quality they’ve got. You only have to look at what they had on the bench – Rafa might disagree, but I think they’ve got a Premier League squad.

“If that side was plying its trade in the Premier League, in terms of the squad and what he’s got available, I do believe they would be in the top half of the Premier League. When they get there this season, I expect them to be contesting in the top half of the Premier League next season.

“For me personally, beating Newcastle today is probably a bigger achievement than it was beating Arsenal in the fifth round at the Emirates with Blackburn, even though we’re still the only team to do it (in Arsene Wenger’s reign).

I understand it (the changes). As a manager, there’s no doubt that you want to win every single game. I’ll back any manager in terms of that, and the reality is that he sent a team out there expecting to beat Oxford United.

“I will do exactly the same thing on Tuesday (in the Checkatrade Trophy), knowing I’ve got a group of players, even if there are changes, that can beat Bradford City. I’ve done that in all the Checkatrade Trophy games so far, and did it in every single one last season.

“You put out a side that you think can beat the side in front of you. He’s done that today, but unfortunately for them it’s not happened. We got a bit of luck when we needed it and had some good performances in key areas, and it’s not quite happened for them.”

LINE-UPS:

Oxford (4-5-1): Eastwood, Edwards, Dunkley, Nelson, Skarz, Hall, Lundstram, Ledson, Johnson, Maguire (Martinez 70), Hemmings (Sercombe 82).

Subs (not used): Agboola, MacDonald, Ruffels, Rothwell, Raglan.

Newcastle (5-4-1): Sels; Gamez, Hanley, Good, Haidara (Ritchie 77), Lazaar; Perez, Hayden, Barlaser, El-Mhanni (Gouffran 68); Mitrovic.

Subs (not used): Elliot, Dummett, Lascelles, Yedlin, Shelvey.