‘Newcastle needs a Premier League restart amid an intriguing season’

The defensive picture looks healthier at first glance.

Only Arsenal have kept more clean sheets than Newcastle (five), while league leaders Manchester City, Chelsea and Leeds United are the only teams to have faced fewer shots (117).

But that doesn’t necessarily tell the whole story.

Newcastle has conceded eight goals in just three away matches against Brentford, West Ham and Brighton in recent weeks.

In their previous three away games in the Premier League, Newcastle had not scored, but they are starting to invite more shots.

Brentford and West Ham scored 15 points each while Brighton had 13, and it is no coincidence that each of these teams has won more duels against a team and a top-heavy midfield that once prided itself on its physicality, intensity and ability to cover ground effectively.

Instead, Newcastle have looked fragile of late, even when leading, and have dropped more points (nine) from winning positions this season than any other team.

This is a squad, in context, that was boosted by a net spend of more than £100m last summer.

But there was a fear internally that it might be a testing start, and that the knock-on effect of the disrupted window could extend into the season.

Four of Newcastle’s five signings have been in the final two-and-a-half weeks of the window, with little training time to fully integrate them into the system given the tough nature of the schedule, while Alexander Isak completed his £125m move to Liverpool on deadline day the day after he went on strike several weeks ago.

Just as a number of new arrivals are still settling in, Newcastle clearly miss the energy and creativity of Lewis Hall and Tino Libramento at full-back – both have been sidelined through injury recently – and the ability to rely on Wessa’s speed in midfield.

But whether it is a matter of tweaking the system, style or personnel, Howe needs to find answers in the Premier League.

“It’s about showing that we have the experience and expertise to take us forward,” he said. “I need to show it.”