Sheffield Wednesday were very good but the strength of their performance could not disguise the reality that, without the suspended Jonjo Shelvey, Newcastle United looked much diminished. Rather like a mesmerising actor suddenly stripped of stage make-up and photographed in unflatteringly cold daylight, Rafael Benítez’s side lost their usual mystique and were reduced to the realms of the distinctly ordinary.
They stay top – just – but this was their sixth league defeat of the season and Wednesday still look eminently capable of challenging for one of the two automatic promotion slots many had assumed were already effectively Newcastle’s and Brighton’s.
“A tough game against a good, organised team, experienced in this league,” said Benítez. “We need to learn to draw when we can’t win. And we have to learn to play without Jonjo – but we have enough quality to do it.”
As he drew his fur-trimmed parka tightly to his throat and toyed with the idea of pulling the hood up, it was clear Wednesday’s Carlos Carvalhal regarded Tyneside’s late-December chill in much the same way that Benítez’s defence viewed the excellent visiting left-winger, Adam Reach.
Although Kieren Westwood did extremely well to tip Dwight Gayle’s early, angled, left-foot shot on to a post after Newcastle’s leading scorer met Mohamed Diamé’s adroit pass, Reach and friends persistently stretched Newcastle to the limit.
While under Portugese management they are, stylistically, a very English side who succeeded in showcasing the advantages of deploying a 4-4-2 formation featuring two goal-hungry strikers, a pair of genuine wingers and a relish for sometimes robust physical contact.
While Reach, situated wide on the left but offered licence to roam, unnerved Newcastle – and Vurnon Anita in particular – with his combination of physical presence and clever feet, Karl Darlow had to be at his very best to repel Steven Fletcher’s ferocious half-volley.
Increasingly impressive as they segued between old fashioned directness and skilful between-the-lines cameos, Wednesday convinced – and never more so than during their hallmark, incisive counter-attacks.
As Darlow saved smartly, and bravely, to deny Fernando Forestieri at point-blank range and Liam Palmer miscued with the goal at his mercy, Benítez must have rued Shelvey’s five-match suspension for racially abusing Wolverhampton’s Romain Saiss. It might have been different if Shelvey had been around to dictate play in his deep-midfield role but, in his absence, Benítez’s players – who thought they should have been awarded two penalties after first-half fouls on Matt Ritchie – struggled to cope with Wednesday’s abrasive edge and Forestieri’s brand of muscularity in particular.
Jack Colback, Shelvey’s replacement here, is an accomplished midfielder but Colback has been out for some weeks with blurred vision occasioned by a stray elbow in an eye and at times he appeared somewhat tentative against opponents who have now won five of their last six games.
If, without Shelvey, Newcastle lacked creative edge and improvisational ability, Wednesday were much more dangerous when they concentrated on playing pure football rather than becoming distracted by attempts to bully their hosts into submission.
When Carvalhal demanded they calm down and concentrate, his side swiftly took the lead through Glenn Loovens’ first goal for the club. Shortly after Fletcher had begun the second half by connecting with Barry Bannan’s cross and forcing Darlow into saving splendidly with his legs, Loovens deservedly headed them in front from close range after meeting the rebound from a Darlow parry following Ross Wallace’s corner.
Yoan Gouffran subsequently headed Colback’s superb cross wide while Westwood saved the substitute Christian Atsu’s shot and then one from Aleksandar Mitrovic quite brilliantly but Wednesday had done enough to prevent Newcastle earning their second draw of the campaign.
“We have a brand which is right for the Championship,” said Carvalhal, whose side are nine points behind the leaders. “And I think we can do better in the second half of the season – but I also think Newcastle will end up in an automatic promotion position.”
