Alan Pardew said:

"I really feel like we've been done by a sucker-punch. The referee had a hand in that goal as well, because the linesman gave us a throw-in and I don't think that's a foul. We just switch off and they have capitalised from that.

"But, of course, for them it was all about passion, running and closing us down and trying to capitalise on our mistakes. That’s all they offered.

"I think we’ve got a group that’s experienced and I thought last time round (the 0-3 derby loss last season), it’s different to this. We’ve got a better group and I think we’ll bounce back. But we’ve got two tough games and we’ve got to make sure we’re solid because these are two or three games that are going to test us.

“We’re very disappointed as you’d imagine. When you concede a goal in the 84th minute after you’ve bossed the game it’s tough to take. If we’d got the second goal, the game would have been over. 

"Steven (Taylor) got re-injured on Thursday and with Colo we are unsure whether he’s going to be okay for Wednesday. So we’ve got to make sure he’s right for the Premier League and I think Chelsea is the next chance we can see him. 

"To be fair to (Paul) Dummett I thought he did well to come into that. There can be no slur on him. He performed well.”

Gustavo Poyet:

"This will change our season. I'm sure the players will be even more together and the fans will look forward to the next game.

"(The arrival of Borini) was a moment when we needed to take risk. What a goal - the stadium nearly came down. For teams in our situation, when you concede a goal the players would hold for a result. We were talking in the week about not stopping. 

"Conceding goals happens - I'm still looking for a clean sheet and from here we need to build. It gives us everything. We needed something. Now there is no excuses, we can go next week and win another game and continue to improve. 

"We have done nothing. It was nice for us and the fans but we need to keep winning games."

Alan Pardew became the first Magpies manager since Joe Harvey in 1967 to endure back to back Tyne-wear derby defeats, following a stuttering display from his side that lacked both intelligence and endeavour.

Trailing to a fifth minute Steven Fletcher header from a corner that wasn't properly dealt with, the lifeless black and whites were restricted to long-range efforts for the remainder of the opening period.

Matters looked to have improved after the break though when Mathieu Debuchy emulated Paul Dummett's effort against Liverpool - ghosting in unattended at the back post to fire past Westwood in the 57th minute.    

Without a win in their previous dozen league outings, the mackems looked at that point to have reverted to type - conceding possession and territory as United went in search of further goals.

Despite the presence of both Papiss Cisse and Shola Ameobi on the field by then though, the visitors again struggled to provide any sort of service into the box,

scuffed efforts from Yohan Cabaye and Ameobi never looking likely to produce any dividends.

Having seemingly settled for a draw though, there was to be a sting in the tail with just six minutes remaining, as on-loan substitute Fabio Borini slammed a rising shot beyond Tim Krul for only his second-ever Premier League goal after netting at SJP for Liverpool last season.

There was some controversy over the move that led to that goal, referee Lee Probert over-ruling his linesman and penalising Cheick Tiote for a foul rather than giving Newcastle a throw as indicated close to the halfway line.

To focus on that incident however as the turning point in the match ignores a string of sub-standard performances from the likes of Moussa Sissoko and Yoan Gouffran, both of whom remained peripheral figures despite a number of tactical reshuffles by Pardew during the first half.

Chief goalscoring threat Loic Remy had his poorest game in a Newcastle shirt, while Hatem Ben Arfa saw plenty of the ball but was only able to contribute the cross-shot that Debuchy latched on to for the equaliser.   

Fears that the makeshift back four would struggle were duly realised, but in fairness to Paul Dummett on his first start, the contribution of the more experienced Davide Santon was no better. 

The area of greatest concern to those watching from the upper tier of the North Stand though lay in an apparently poor attitude shown by the visitors to the task in hand.

Recovering from going a goal down but failing to then go for the jugular and place genuine pressure on a woefully bad mackem side raises questions marks about the motivation and organisation on and off the pitch, regardless of whether we lost or drew today. 

For all the sound bites from the manager about the righting the wrongs of last season's 0-3 mackem home loss, the evidence of today was that his words fell on deaf ears in the dressing room. That was exemplified by the fitful contribution of Cabaye, who like Ben Arfa can hardly be accused of putting himself in the shop window.

And while we're not quite in the perilous position that Gus Poyet finds himself in, this loss combined with the visit of Chelsea to SJP on Saturday makes Wednesday's League Cup meeting with Manchester City a game too far in terms of playing our strongest possible XI - something that will hardly endear Pardew to Newcastle fans.        

Biffa