United Manager Chris Hughton said:

"It's a learning curve for us. We've got to make sure on the lows - and it's a big low today - that we bounce back. We didn't defend well enough from set pieces which are Stoke's strength. It does put pressure on us. We know we have to pick up results at home. There have been a lot of surprise results and at the moment every team seems capable of getting a shock result.

"As a team that has got promoted we are probably going to lose more than we will win. The teams that have more consistency are those who have the better players. That is why United, Arsenal are up there. This is a learning curve for us and we have to make sure that from the lows we bounce back. 

"I am realistic enough to know where we are at the moment - my thoughts wouldn’t change. It would be nice to say we will win more than we lose, but I am realistic. We coped with them for the majority but it was all about pivotal moments, we also felt that we needed to get that second - and third goal.

"We were up against a Stoke team that upped their intensity and we didn’t do enough to get that second goal. Stoke had a very resilient backline and we weren’t able to break through. We didn’t create enough.

"All you can do is prepare the team. There is not a team that face Stoke who do not prepare for the long throw, that’s a strength of theirs. You are reliant on players doing their jobs and marking individuals.

"It is normal to be angry. You are frustrated when you let a lead slip. You need to get back into the game and you need to carve out opportunities. It was not through a lack of effort but we were up against a resilient Stoke side.

"I was looking to win the game. With Jonas, he can be more direct in the way he runs at the ball, and for Tiote because he’s very much a defensive midfield player. What I had left on the pitch were two strikers in Andy Carroll and Shola, and a midfield player in Kevin Nolan, that are all capable of scoring goals.

"I wanted to leave goalscorers on the pitch. Tiote’s a good player, and they’ll certainly like him here - What you see is what you get from him.

"We knew the threat they posed from set plays and about dealing with them. It was a combination of a couple of things – not doing enough in that second period, and also conceding.

"I couldn’t fault the commitment of the players. Even going into that last few minutes, I thought we could get back on level terms, but we didn’t have enough to break down a very resilient back line.

"For me, this was a missed opportunity. We’re at home and leading 1-0, and played well enough in that first half without being on our best form. We weren’t able to cap off a very good week. On the back of a defeat here against Blackpool, the lads were very determined to go to Everton and put things right. When you have a spirited group of players like we have, their priority will be to bounce back.”

Tony Pulis commented:

"In the first half we never struck a blow and I was disappointed with Robert Huth's challenge for their penalty because he doesn't need to do that. 

"But Kenwyne could have had a hat-trick in the second half. In the first half we didn't get any service to him, but in the second we took the game to them, got balls wider and got them into Kenwyne. I had to liven them up at half-time to play better second half, and that's not the first time this season.

"For all Newcastle's play in the first half, apart from the penalty, I don't think they made Thomas Sorensen do a lot. Having said that, there was no excuse for the way we played. But I thought we were better in the second half.

"With the bad publicity we have had for the challenge from Andy Wilkinson, I was really disappointed at one of the Newcastle players. He went down and I think simulated an injury from a challenge and three passes later he jumped up and was running around as if nothing had happened.

"The PFA have a responsibility to make sure their players don’t do things like that. You put other players under enormous pressure but you also put other referees and officials under pressure.”

Sunday afternoon saw this season's rollercoaster ride continue, with superb away victories at Goodison Park and Stamford Bridge followed by another calamitous home defeat and a head-scratching home performance - all classic Newcastle United.

Despite failing to seriously test the Potters, Newcastle managed to take a half time lead for the third time in a week - courtesy of Kevin Nolan's penalty conversion, after Robert Huth needlessly obstructed Andy Carroll.
However what had been a forgettable display from the home side in the opening 45 minutes declined sharply following the restart, with City correctly sensing that there were points to be had at Gallowgate.

It took them until halfway through the second period to level, with Kenwyne Jones heading home - but the warning signs had evident, with Tim Krul twice watching the former mackem forward hit the woodwork, substitute Ricardo Fuller also knocking one of the rebounds narrowly wide.

At that point Stoke looked to be content with a point, but United would inadvertantly hand the initiative to the visitors when bringing on Shola Ameobi at the expense of Cheick Tiote. The man from the Ivory Coast was again impressive in covering the back four, but removing him seemed to be a soft option, rather than withdrawing the more senior, but dawdling Joey Barton or Kevin Nolan.  

Hughton had already chosen to bring off the aimless Ben Arfa in favour of Jonas Gutierrez which did increase our presence down the left flank - the Frenchman having seemingly occupied a free role across the front line.
That ploy had failed to provide Andy Carroll with any sort of support up front and with United's number 9 deployed to boost the home defence at set pieces, SJP regulars could only dream of the profligacy in front of goal that had characterised our last home game against Blackpool. Routledge meanwhile again failed to test the opposition.

Into the last 10 minutes and a 1-1 draw looked on the cards, although the Exocet-style throw-ins of Stoke's chief tosser Rory Delap were of ongoing concern. In the end though it was a corner that proved decisive, with Perch registering his first top flight goal at the wrong end. Six minutes of added time then saw Nolan spurn a good chance to take a point when he shot wide of Thomas Sorensen in the Gallowgate goal, but it was a rare moment of hope for an increasingly despondent SJP crowd. 

Following the midweek success at Stamford Bridge, Chris Hughton had reverted to the outfield lineup that beat Everton - Perch returning from suspension at right back and messrs Williamson and Colocinni playing at centre half (Sol Campbell didn't even make the bench, picking up a thigh strain during his midweek debut). 

In post-match comments Pulis claimed that Joey Barton was "bang out of order" for feigning injury after a challenge from Salif Diao - an incident that seemed to pass everyone else by. Ironic then that Stoke's Ricardo Fuller should receive immediate "punishment" in the form of a dislocated shoulder for throwing himself to the floor following the slightest of contacts from Jose Enrique. Of course, non-cheating, squeaky clean City equalised from the resulting free-kick after a three minute hold up whilst Fuller was led away.

On the back of the Blackpool setback here, this result made the 6-0 thumping of Aston Villa suddenly seem like an awful long time ago - bringing back memories of the deflating home displays of our last top-flight campaign. As we said two seasons ago, gifting points to the likes of unfashionable but functional outfits such as Blackburn, Wigan and Stoke ultimately cost us dear. 

That learning curve that Chris Hughton talked about post-match needs to be a sharp one - while working out how best to set out a side to score goals at home is a top priority. And although the aerial power of Stoke won't be repeated every week, there looks to be a need over the coming days for some training ground work between Krul and his back four, with the aim of improving communications and giving defenders more awareness (and therefore more confidence) in the positioning of the goalkeeper. 

PS: Best wishes to NUFC.com reader Sam, who was hoping for a boost from Newcastle before undergoing surgery on Monday. That didn't work out, but fingers crossed that he'll be back in action very soon.

Biffa