Newcastle players and staff applaud the fans after defeat against Brighton
Newcastle, with sticking plaster over wounds both mental and physical, must steel themselves for rapid fire Champions League confrontation with Jose Mourinho and Benfica aware that they have to fend off any fears of a repeat of recent history.
Because when Eddie Howe last took his black and white warriors into a Champions League season the relentless weight of four competitions eventually proved too great to carry.
United finished the 2023-24 season seventh in the Premier League completely out of all European qualification. And right now the signs that both expectation and workload could take its toll again will concern the more cautious Geordie faithful with defeat at Brighton confining United to the bottom half of the table five points behind Sunderland with only two victories in eight matches and no win away from St James' Park.
Of course it is extremely early in the season and United have a deeper squad this time round to a couple of year back, but facts don't lie and Howe will be calling on his players to banish any fleeting thoughts of possible permanent struggle. He will demand a second Champions League victory on Tuesday night backed up by three points against Fulham before the week is out. Anything less would be alarming.
Unlucky or not to come away from the south coast with nothing but stinging defeat when pushing for victory, it is undeniable that Newcastle are playing catch up.
A season that was initially derailed by Alexander Isak's despicable abdication has seen a spectacular replacement found in Nick Woltemade. The Isak excuse is now out of the window - Nick has settled quicker than snow - so let others step up to the plate rather than believe they have been undone by a former mate. They are now in danger of letting Woltemade down!
The German has scored four times but only Bruno Guimaraes (2) and Will Osula have also hit the back of the rigging in the league. What has happened to the wingers? Other midfielders? Defenders from set pieces?
Woltemade has sucked up all the love Isak turned his back on by scoring time and again for his new fans, the latest at Brighton as audacious as anyone auditioning for local hero could produce. His backheel flick was the ultimate crowd pleaser.
It ought to have brought United a point, or been the springboard for a victory push, but instead W stood for Winner elsewhere on the field. Danny Welbeck, Brighton's Geordie slayer who scored twice at SJP last season, notched his second of the afternoon five minutes from time deceiving Nick Pope once again. Old age can produce a craftiness and Welback has matured like a good wine.
United's midfield gamble sadly failed to pay off. If changes were to be made it would surely have been in the middle of the park where Bruno and Joelinton had endured horrendous travel problems with Brazil during the international break and Sandro Tonali like Big Joe had suffered from a whack. Italian Press also felt their hero they so often have lauded looked tired.
However Eddie decided to go with his tried and trusted but a trio often touted as the best in the PL appeared leggy and got by-passed first-half to such an extent all three were eventually subbed. Joelinton as early as half-time. They were poor both with the ball and without it.
It is a problem to be addressed before Benfica tests durability and aggression on the biggest stage of all.
There is also the continuing situation of Anthony Elanga who despite a hefty fee of £55m appears far from the finished article. At best he is a work in progress desperately requiring the Howe magic touch which has benefitted just about every single Newcastle signing. His pace is awesome but his decision making leaves a lot to be desired. Get your head up Anthony and pick out the best option rather than wear blinkers and just lash the ball across goal.
Manchester United allowed him to go because of that major weakness but let him prove that he is learning because he will find no one better than Eddie if he takes it all aboard. Meanwhile Jacob Murphy has a case for wrongful dismissal after last season's contribution.
Elanga was hardly exhausted like others on international call having started neither of Sweden's games but he lasted only 45 minutes before being hooked.
For stats nerds here are a couple of milestones. This was Joelinton's 200th start in all competitions for us, though hardly a memorable one, while Dan Burn completed 150 starts appropriately on the ground where he once starred.
However no one can get anywhere near the record of our old boy James Milner who when he came on made it 644 Premier League appearances leaving him just nine behind record holder Gareth Barry, who played in 653 PL fixtures. I love the fact that Milner, now 39, played his very first game for Leeds United in November 2002, two days before Tino Livramento was born!
Now it's on to Benfica and another pressing problem. United are better than their Premier League position indicates but it is time to prove it rather than suggest it. To eliminate discussion and produce unchallenged fact. Jose Mourinho has tasted victory just three times out of a dozen visits to SJP and that has to be maintained.
We won only one Champions League fixture last time in the competition so let us beat that and then finish higher than seventh. To do either requires immediate action. To do neither would be criminal. Progress depends on it.