The need for an out and out striker remains, while summer signings such as Mikel Merino, Raheem Sterling and Riccardo Calafiori were all unused substitutes in Tuesday's clash. Newcastle, on the other hand, could hardly be in a different position after stellar recruitment in recent windows.

The January transfer window has been open for a week and much like 12 months ago, it has been a quiet few days on the transfer front not just at Newcastle United, but around the Premier League. Clubs up and down the division are worried about PSR whilst buying players is always a difficult task in a winter window that often has very unwilling sellers.

Newcastle fought back to claim a sixth consecutive victory in all competitions through first-half goals by Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak, with Dutch centre-back Botman able to produce an assured display to cement the club's fifth-place spot in the Premier League.