CHRIS WOOD made his Newcastle United debut just two days after completing his £25m move from Burnley.

How did the Magpies’ new centre-forward fare as his side drew 1-1 with Watford at St James’ Park?


A SLOW START

For the first ten minutes or so, Wood barely touched the ball as Newcastle felt their way into the game.

The striker helped create space for those around him by tying up Watford’s two centre-halves, but while Joelinton benefited, the Brazilian midfielder was unable to take advantage by opening the scoring.

With Wood commanding the attention of Watford’s central defenders, Joelinton stabbed a volley against the crossbar before hammering a first-time effort wide at the back post after Ryan Fraser crossed from the left.


CHANCES START TO COME

Towards the end of the first half, Newcastle started to improve the standard of their deliveries into the box, and Wood became of a goalscoring threat.

His first real effort at goal in a black-and-white shirt came midway through the opening period, and saw him head over under pressure from two defenders after Fraser crossed from the right.

Two minutes later, and after Jamaal Lascelles headed a corner back across goal, Wood angled himself to head the ball over from eight yards out.

That proved to be his best opportunity of the first half, although he made an important intervention at the other end a couple of minutes before the interval, heading clear after Watford delivered a dangerous ball into the box from a corner.


NEWCASTLE AHEAD

The Magpies made the all-important breakthrough four minutes after the break, with Allan Saint-Maximin robbing Jeremy Ngakia of possession close to the touchline before driving infield and lashing a low shot into the corner.

Saint-Maximin had to play as a central striker against Cambridge last weekend, and was largely ineffective against a League One defence.

With Wood in the side, the Frenchman can start out wide with a license to drift infield, and he already looks like he will benefit from having a natural centre-forward alongside him in the final third.


DROPPING OFF LATE ON

Ahead at the start of the second half, Newcastle needed Wood to hold the ball up in the latter stages as they looked to control the game.

Instead, with the debutant failing to get the better of either Craig Cathcart or Samir, the Magpies found themselves forced onto the back foot as Watford became the dominant force in the final quarter of the game.

With Wood starting to visibly tire, the ball kept on coming back at the Newcastle defence, and the Magpies crumbled with three minutes left.

Joao Pedro burst between Jamaal Lascelles and Kieran Trippier to head home Kiko Femenia’s cross and leave Newcastle rooted in the relegation zone and in grave danger of dropping into the Championship.