It was a familiar feeling of disappointment for Newcastle United, but thankfully not accompanied by the usual sense of despair at this stage of the season. The Magpies have crashed out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle to lower-league opposition for the second year in a row under Eddie Howe.
Alexander Isak's long-awaited comeback from injury was the only real positive to take from an otherwise dismal Saturday night at Hillsborough. The Sweden international stepped up his return with an encouraging first-half display, and will hopefully be pushing for starts once more sooner rather than later.
However, it was an otherwise bruising evening for Newcastle who have now been given a timely reminder about the rebuild still facing Howe. Perspective is required, as the Magpies remain third in the Premier League as they now prepare for a winnable Carabao Cup quarter-final home tie against Leicester City.
