A new-look Newcastle side gave their all on Sunday, but lost out to the reigning Champions by a two goal margin for the sixth successive time on home territory.

The manner of this latest defeat by City however gave rise to some optimism, all six debutants making promising starts and contributing to a display several levels above the dross endured on Tyneside late last season.

While some plaudits came the way of Alan Pardew's team for their passing, movement and general approach work though, the visitors conjured up a clinical finish in each half to outwit Tim Krul and claim all three points. 

Neither of the two World Cup 'keepers on show had a busy afternoon, but while the United stopper made two decent first half blocks, the shampoo-related insults hurled at Joe Hart by home fans hit their target with better accuracy than anyone clad in our new black and white kit.

An emotional day at SJP saw tributes paid to John Alder and Liam Sweeney before kick off, with both team captains joining members of the victims' families to lay wreaths in the centre circle. 

Ex-Sunderland goalkeeper (and Magpies coach) Jimmy Montgomery was joined by fundraising founder Gary Ferguson to represent SAFC, with a minute's silence immaculately observed by all present.

Six of the side beaten at Anfield remained on the team sheet - messrs Krul, Coloccini, Williamson, Sissoko, Anita and Gouffran - Paul Dummett preferred at left back to Massadio Haidara and available for selection after his red card against Liverpool back in May was rescinded. 

Vurnon Anita deputised for the unavailable Cheick Tiote in the holding role, Daryl Janmaat slotted in at right back and Remy Cabella and Jack Colback made their bows in a midfield four with Moussa Sissoko and Yoan Gouffran flanking them.   

That left former Monaco player Emmanuel Riviere to lead the line and within six minutes he'd learnt his first lesson in English football, crumbling under an unflinching block from a defender but appealing in vain for a free kick.

Cabella then had his and United's first attempt on goal after 16 minutes, trying a cheeky lob from the edge of the box that dropped narrowly over the Leazes crossbar. That came shortly before applause rang out in tribute to the two fallen supporters - exactly a month after the MH17 air disaster.

The vital breakthrough for City came on 38 minutes, when Edin Dzeko brilliantly teed up David Silva to tuck the ball under Krul and into the Gallowgate End net.

Both home players and crowd redoubled their efforts following the break and United began to build up some momentum, Colback's corner falling to Gouffran at the back post but his attempted shot and pass both blocked. 

City's response was to noticeably slow down the tempo and retain possession - a tactic that had some effect on United and caused Alan Pardew to look to his bench to alter the angle of attack.

The manager repaid the efforts of wide pair Gabriel Obertan and Rolando Aarons in pre-season by giving both some pitch time - the former making his first league outing since last December and arriving to some mild booing. Rolando meanwhile became the second Jamaican-born player to represent the club, debuting at the age of 19 - rather different to 33 year-old John Barnes in 1997.

Also appearing was Ayoze Perez and the Spanish forward almost conjured up a sensational start to his Newcastle career, dashing forward after Williamson's clearance was knocked on by Cabella and turning Demichelis on the edge of the six yard box to create a shooting chance.

Agonisingly for Ayoze though, as he looked to curl home a right footed shot, City debutant Fernando arrived to get a slight but vital touch on the ball, his outstretched leg sending it spinning beyond Hart and just past the far post.

One further chance was fashioned by the lively Cabella (who supplied the hoped-for creativity but was guilty of over-elaboration at times) when he played a neat 1-2 with Perez and pulled the ball back from the left byline.

Colback was initially closer to that pass but got out of the way as Sissoko took aim from the edge of the box. Sadly the French international failed to emulate his low, controlled conversion against Real Sociedad last week, blasting the ball over the crossbar.

There was to be a sting in the tale though, as Sergio Aguero replicated his opening day strike of last season against us, the substitute running on to Yaya Toure's through ball and shrugging off Coloccini before trying to beat Krul at his near post with a left-footed effort.

The Dutchman was equal to that strike, but could only parry the ball back to Aguero, who calmly scooped home the rebound with his right foot - a virtual re-run of Alvaro Negredo's goal here for City in added time last season.

Despite the pointless and goalless return though (it's now just one goal in 11 hours against this lot), the feelgood factor persisted after full time and the beaten Newcastle players were applauded off for their obvious efforts.

The contrast from the 3-0 home win over Cardiff three months ago was immense: the manager able to occupy his technical area without being shouted back into the dugout, the owner (present today) and his company escaping without abuse, and no mention of Ben Arfa. 

The defeat leaves United as the only side to have lost by more than one goal in the first round of fixtures with Burnley still to host Chelsea on Monday evening. 

While that should only be a temporary low however, the shortcomings of the side seem evident - with worries about the solidity of the defence adding to the pressure on an unproven forward formation to score regularly. 

Whether the introduction of De Jong improves that is a question yet to answered, while forgotten man Papiss Cisse could yet prosper from playing with a team who provide the service he has so often lacked.  

The level of effort put into landing a so-called "marquee" striker in the next two weeks may give a measure of what genuine ambition lies in the club - and whether we're serious about a top six spot, or merely content to linger in mid-table, bank the cash and act as a lucrative launching pad for more ambitious players.