Newcastle’s new chief executive, David Hopkinson, is presiding over a “100 day review” of all areas of club operations.

It is the sort of management exercise beloved of senior executives across assorted companies but the reality at St James’ Partk is that almost every department is largely a hostage to first-team fortunes. In other words, if Eddie Howe’s team fail to qualify for the Champions League again next season everyone will suffer the consequences.

Given the odds are overwhelmingly against Newcastle lifting that trophy next spring, they desperately need to hit their Premier League stride and start clambering up the table.

That process began here with only their third League victory of the season. No matter that Howe’s team were not always exactly convincing and left it until the 90th minute before Bruno Guimarães secured all three points, Newcastle suggested that they might finally be mastering the art of winning twice a week.

With Howe’s players shadows of those who had deconstructed Benfica here in midweek, they needed a stroke of fortune. It arrived when an awful concentration lapse on Calvin Bassey’s part prefaced Jacob Murphy’s opening goal for Newcastle. As Bassey lingered on the ball, perhaps daydreaming, Howe’s...