A battle between two of the outsiders for the top five produced the first goalless draw of the Premier League campaign. Aston Villa will be happy to have a point, but the better performance belonged to Newcastle United, who returned from a disruptive summer as if it had never even happened.
Here are four things we learned from their excellent efforts:
Mentality monsters have the mettle
The talk around the Toon this summer has mostly been about the bad vibes of their transfers.
The PSR pinch was not meant to hurt the club as badly as it did a year ago, allowing them to build on a successful season. But Joao Pedro, Hugo Ekitiké, Bryan Mbeumo, Noni Madueke, and Liam Delap all turned down interest from the Toon and took their business elsewhere this summer.
Howe has admitted that it was not ideal for so much debate to take place about affairs off the field ahead of the new season. But the mental clarity and concentration of the group were second to none.
The defence was barely under siege as Nick Pope only had to smother a couple of strikes. But when they needed to be present, they did their job diligently. Fabian Schar won the Player of the Match Award, and equally impressive was his partner. Dan Burn. He made one interception, pulled off ten clearances, loving the battle with Ollie Watkins as he has transitioned from being a left back.
Indeed, the Villans will be grateful that they walked away from the action with their unbeaten record intact. The hosts have not suffered defeat at Villa Park since a 2-0 loss to **Arsenal**in August last year.
Newcastle equalled Villa's tally of 66 points last year in the Premier League, only finishing in the top five on goal difference. It would have been ideal to make the most of their extra man against a rival and take a triumph, but in the circumstances, this stalemate should still go down as a moral victory.
There was one significant absentee from the starting eleven when the game kicked off on Saturday.
**Alexander Isak**is still in a standoff with the club. He missed the start of the preseason tour with a "minor thigh injury", but it turned out that he was exploring the possibility of an exit from Tyneside.
The Swedish striker showed his hand at the end of July, jetting out to Spain to train at the facilities of his former club, Real Sociedad. Even though the board refused to accept a £110 million bid from **Liverpool**for his services, relationships remain frosty, and he was absent from the initial lineup.
Isak has topped the scoring charts with 21 and 23 strikes in the **Premier League**over the last two seasons. There were flashpoints when his presence on the pitch might have become decisive.
The Swede stands at 6'4". He does his best work with the ball along the floor, but his aerial presence is an asset for the team, and a couple of crosses could have benefitted from being met by his head.
His movement across the last line and also his quick feet as a wall pass nine are also ideal tools for a focal point. Those tools could have helped when Villa sat even deeper to see out the stalemate.
But for now, the 25-year-old has burned bridges. Howe has not compromised on his principles for the spirit of the squad, and he is willing to bear the short-term pain in place of longer-term gratification.
Newcastle’s speedsters put down the pedal
That all said, based on the first fifteen minutes of this match, his absence did not matter much at all.
Anthony Elanga, one of the summer signings, is known for his electric pace. He could have got on the scoresheet twice at the beginning, but he kept banging at the door and threatening with speed.
Anthony Gordon got the nod as the central forward and registered seven shots in the contest. When he went back to the left flank late in the second half, a mazy dribble demonstrated the best of his directness. But he still drifted to good effect from the middle, and his movement forced the hand of **Ezri Konsa**after half time, as the possibility of a 1 v 1 led the defender to a foul and a red card.
The left flank remained an excellent outlet to hit. Tino Livramento and Harvey Barnes have played together on that side of the field before and knew how to service teammates in the penalty area.
In many respects, this was still the same Newcastle: pace, power, and an intent to kill. Howe has built a side to strike in transition and one that is full of running power. Their talismanic figure might make the difference on the scoresheet, but most of the pieces are still present to pose problems for the best.
Duel dominance set the tone
If one wants to talk about Howe's Newcastle, there is a unit that has stood out in the last year.
Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, and Joelinton, a former central forward, are one of the nastiest, most workmanlike trios one can find on the circuit. Against the tactical intelligence and ball playing ability of Amadou Onana, Boubacar Kamara, and Youri Tielemans, the middle of the park would give a good indication of which outfit would come out on top on Saturday. The winner was clear.
The Villans could not get going with their transitions, supporting runs, or ball handling in the first half. On the other hand, the Toon were on top form and made sure that the danger was at a minimum.
Funnily enough, the club will welcome Jacob Ramsey to the North-East over the next week. The Birmingham boy has left his boyhood club, where he fell down the pecking order over the last year for a fresh start. Under Unai Emery, he was always in the inside positions behind the striker, but he hopes to bring a blend of energy, goals, and directness from the pockets to add a different dimension.
A fiery fixture awaits with the league champions, Liverpool, on Monday night at St. James' Park. The Geordies will be gunning for a win, and they can trust the midfield to match their intensity.