Newcastle United were beaten by a physical Atletico Madrid side to end their pre-season schedule winless
Aaron Stokes is our Newcastle United Editor. Born and bred in the north-east, Aaron left Newcastle in 2017 to work in London for Reach PLC's national titles. After five years in the capital, he returned to take up his current role at The Chronicle in March 2022.
Newcastle United ended their pre-season with a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Atletico Madrid, taking their summer record to zero wins, two draws and four defeats.
Eddie Howe will perhaps be buoyed by the manner of his team's final first-half performance of the summer but Newcastle's defensive frailties were on show for both of the away side's second-half goals.
All eyes now turn to Aston Villa next weekend after a pretty bruising summer both on and off the field.
Here's the five things we learned from the final pre-season outing at St James' Park.
Newcastle undone in the second period
Teams don't come more physical or streetwise than Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid. As such, what a way for Newcastle United to end their pre-season preparations with a challenge as testing as this.
Of course, the prestigious Sela Cup was on offer today and in many ways it did not feel like a friendly at times. Atletico's players, at the orders of a constant, buzzing touchline presence in Simeone, hassled and hurried United's stars at all times.
Newcastle fought well in the opening period, arguably looking as good as they have for most of pre-season. However, very quickly the game slipped from their grasp after the interval.
Julian Alvarez finished off a counter attack that saw Newcastle's backline all at sea in the 50th-minute, before substitute Antoine Griezmann ended the tie as a contest 13 minutes later as he coolly finished beyond Nick Pope shortly after the hour mark.
You, famously, cannot read too much into pre-season results but Eddie Howe will have wanted to end the summer with a mood-lifting win against top European opponents.
Gordon injury concern
Alexander Isak remains in exile, as confirmed by Eddie Howe on Friday evening, while William Osula led the line in the first St James' Park clash of the weekend against Espanyol.
As such, the responsibility to play at the tip of Newcastle's three-man attack fell to the versatile Anthony Gordon. This, just one week out from the Premier League curtain raiser at Aston Villa, is far from ideal - despite the fact Gordon will back himself as a capable central option when called upon.
His move from the left to the middle was perhaps what Howe himself was talking about on Friday evening as he spoke of less than perfect preparation in recent weeks.
"I thought you can see the the balance of the team isn't quite there, and that will be the same tomorrow [vs Atletico] to a degree we have players playing out of position slightly," he said after Espanyol. "That's never ideal but that's the balance of the squad we have."
The attacker hit the deck in the closing stages, pulling up innocuously off the ball before heading straight down the tunnel.
Discussing Gordon's fitness after the game, Howe confirmed: "We hope he's OK. He's got an ankle problem.
"This initial feeling is we think he'll be OK [for Aston Villa]."
You suspect, unless Newcastle pull off some quick transfer business in the coming days, Gordon will be the man starting at centre-forward at Villa Park this time next week - fitness dependent.
But the need for a proper central striker has been evident all summer long.
Newcastle United's English midfielder #10 Anthony Gordon (L) leaves the game after picking up an injury
A much-needed transfer boost away from St James' Park
As Jamaal Lascelles and Sven Botman took their places on the pitch at 4pm, news was beginning to filter through that Newcastle had made big progress in the pursuit of a centre-back on the continent.
AC Milan defender Malick Thiaw has been a long-time target for the Magpies, with initial scouting missions taking place well over 12 months ago. The Tyneside outfit may finally be about to land the German international, with the move edging ever closer after positive talks in recent days.
Thiaw's proposed arrival at St James' Park would mean Eddie Howe has Lascelles, Botman, Fabian Schar, Dan Burn, Emil Krafth, Alex Murphy and the 24-year-old as his options at the heart of defence. A plethora of choice, with a mix of youth and experience - and a new face to freshen up the defensive department at Benton.
Crucially, a successful pursuit will no doubt lift some of the outside doom and gloom caused by a frustrating summer in a testing market.
Malick Thiaw of AC Milan controls the ball during the UEFA Champions League football match against Newcastle United
Who will start at Villa?
Two games in less than 24 hours meant Howe was always going to play two entirely different XIs against two Spanish top flight sides.
Friday's selection saw the likes of Lewis Hall, Bruno Guimaraes, Dan Burn, Fabian Schar and William Osula feature from the outset, while Saturday's offering looked more like one we could see in the Midlands next weekend as competitive football returns.
Kieran Trippier and Tino Livramento started at the back, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton were in the middle of the park and the front three - Anthony Gordon, Anthony Elanga and Harvey Barnes - presently looks like the most likely attacking trio to be given the nod next week.
To go out on a limb after recent weeks, I'll say the team sheet at Villa Park will read: Pope, Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento; Bruno, Tonali, Joelinton; Elanga, Gordon, Barnes.......
Elanga a bright spark
Newcastle fans have had little to shout about in the transfer market this summer but each time Anthony Elanga touched the ball on Saturday, you felt the crowd lift just a tad.
There was excitement and anticipation in the air over what the Magpies' £52m man may be able to do with the ball at his feet, while Eddie Howe will no doubt be pleased the attacker's work rate without it.
Elanga was full of running in the opening period, linking up well with Anthony Gordon in the middle. He was hacked down by Atletico's brutes at times in the second-half but escaped any serious injury in the final friendly of the off-season.
Of course, the benefit of getting *some* new signings through the door early in the summer is that you can bed them in well before the new campaign gets going. That certainly appears to be what has happened with Elanga, who impressed on his maiden St James' Park showing.