We should have known really, given the ridiculous twists and turns of this season, the venue of this latest setback and the scheduling of it in the dead zone that is the Monday night TV slot. 

The corner it was hoped had been turned at home to Wolves proved to be a cul-de-sac at the end of the King's Road. A farcical early home goal put Eddie Howe's side on the back foot and although they went in level at the break as they habitually do here, more disappointments lay in store.  

The end result was another dispiriting loss in the capital, in stark contrast to our undefeated London league record last season. Taking a point from West Ham while conceding twice now looks like a high water mark, given that 1-4 reverses at Spurs and Arsenal followed before another three goals were needlessly conceded up West.

While the North London duo mercilessly exploited our shortcomings though, United assumed the role of an aid agency here; distributing generous handouts to an ailing home side and manager.   

Barring the Cisse-inspired success, it's debatable whether the Magpies have had a better opportunity to win here than this game, such was the listlessness of the hosts and managerial uncertainty that manifested itself in some odd pre-match comments from Mauricio Pochettino.

As it was, United scored more than one goal here for the first time since that night in 2012. And a fat lot of good that did them. In trademark fashion, we managed to muck it up. A porous midfield, a series of illogical and costly decisions in possession and brainless sideways passing were all sadly familiar from other misadventures this season. 

An inability to get a touch on glaring chances in front of goal also ultimately cost us here: aside from the two strikes that gave him no chance, only Miggy Almiron early in the second half actually tested home custodian Petrovic. In similar style to December's Carabao Cup visit, we lost what amounted to a shootout between two bang average mid-table teams.

The glorious exception to a litany of lumbering displays was Tino Livramento; ably understudingy the absent Kieran Trippier at right back despite receiving scant protection from the officials. The former Chelsea player also did his level best to drive United forward, particularly when switching to left back following the loss of Dan Burn in another fitness blow. The final ball may not always have been there, but he put others to shame. 

A slack Botman clearance laid on the opener in the sixth minute; Jackson diverting Palmer's shot beyond Dubravka, before a rare piece of cohesive play from the visitors led to Isak's twelfth Premier League goal of the season two minutes before the break, Bruno with an all-too rare decisive pass.

By then the Magpies had been forced into a change; Anthony Gordon unable to continue with a knee problem and making way for Jacob Murphy. Had that replacement not become necessary, we had speculated on whether Sean Longstaff or Joe Willock would make it past half time, neither able to impose themselves on the game in any meaningful way. The latter is obviously feeling his way back following a significant absence, while the former is toiling to an extent that playing on despite an injury is an obvious conclusion.

Palmer restored Chelsea's lead 12 minutes into the second half and when substitute Mykhailo Mudryk rounded Dubravka for 1-3 in the 76th minute, it appeared to be game over for Eddie Howe's side - Burn having earlier blocked Raheem Sterling's effort on the line to keep the deficit at one goal. 

However, Murphy took a pass from fellow substitute Lewis Miley and got goal side of Marc Cucurella before spectacularly lashing home in front of the away support as six minutes of added time began.

An unlikely - and frankly undeserved - equaliser never materialised though, consigning Newcastle to a ninth away league defeat of the season. Only Brentford and Sheffield United have lost more on their travels; the 32 away goals we've conceded is the joint worst in the division with the Blades. 

Views across the fanbase regarding our current state and the future of Howe seem to vary wildly but the one universally accepted truth is that Saturday night on BBC1 could be painful viewing - and we don't mean Michael McIntyre. That fortnight off afterwards may well prove to be very timely.

We learnt nothing tonight that we didn't know, and neither did the players or management. How long mitigating factors are accepted by the owners though is the unanswered question. There's no audible unrest against Howe - at least in public - but negative chants and daubed bedsheets are no longer factors. This was never a popularity contest and there's no litmus test of public opinion in Riyadh.

"Ten more punches in the face to go then" was the parting shot of one fellow traveller, not including what would be a daunting task in the FA Cup at the Eithad with a full squad of in-form players. 

All three meetings with Manchester City so far this season were settled by one goal, two in their favour and one in ours - whether a landslide defeat inflicted by Middle Eastern rivals at the fourth time of asking would be deemed as the Saudis losing face remains to be seen.     

Biffa