Steve Bruce’s first game in the dugout as Newcastle United head coach ended in a 2-1 defeat against Championship outfit Preston North End.
The Magpies fluffed the chance of a first win for the new head coach after Miguel Almiron missed a penalty in the second half after Jonjo Shelvey had put the Magpies into a half-time lead.
Friendlies count for very little of course, but against a Preston team that spluttered to 14th place last season in the second tier.
This was Bruce’s first official game in charge of Newcastle after sitting in the stands due to visa issues in Shanghai for the 1-0 win over West Ham.
There were even faint chants of “Steve Bruce’s black and white army” and “Brucie, Brucie give us a wave” but there were fresh chants against Mike Ashley.
By the end, the atmosphere in the away end was understandably subdued as players walked cautiously to the halfway line to applaud the travelling Geordie faithful.
United lined up with a 3-5-2 formation against the Lilywhites but neither side was able to create a clear-cut chance in the opening 10 minutes on a rain-sodden Deepdale pitch.
On 15 minutes Paul Dummett steamed into a challenge on Tom Barkhuizen to add some bite to an otherwise flat start.
Matt Ritchie swung in a cross on 22 minutes but Preston swept away the danger.
Matty Longstaff - making his first start for the senior side - steamed into a challenge on Preston skipper Tom Clarke.
The midfielder was booked for his trouble but demonstrated he was far from daunted by life on the first team stage.
Newcastle then started to create chances themselves with Isaac Hayden firing over and then Jonjo Shelvey’s effort deflecting wide.
Shelvey then whipped in a cross from the right with Hayden twice seeing his attempts snuffed out.
But Preston responded on 32 minutes when Clarke found space in the box but Ritchie got back to block.
Ritchie was then booked for hauling back Alan Browne as Newcastle showed their physical side in Bruce’s first game on UK soil.
Although it was a foul from Preston that led to Newcastle opening the scoring.
Browne’s foul on Fabian Schar earned a free-kick 35 yards from goal before Shelvey stepped up to hammer home the set-piece.
Preston keeper Declan Rudd got a hand to it but the ball squirmed over the line.
Muto had a chance in first half stoppage time but fluffed his lines in front of goal.
United made nine changes at the break with only Freddie Woodman and Fede Fernandez staying on the field.
Miguel Almiron and Joelinton were two of the stars introduced at the break.
Within seconds of the £40million man’s debut, the Brazilian wriggled into the box and won a penalty.
Almiron demanded the ball but his spot-kick was saved well by Rudd who guessed the right way and pushed it to his right.
Newcastle created another chance 12 minutes later with Jacob Murphy getting free down the left before his effort was deflected on to the roof of the net.
On the hour though United were pegged level again.
Ref Michael Sailsbury pointed to the spot for a second time after Jamie Sterry handled Clarke’s cross.
Veteran striker Paul Gallagher stepped up and smashed the ball past Woodman to make it 1-1.
Murphy got free again down the left but put too much purchase on a cross aimed at Joelinton and the ball drifted to safety for the home side.
But on 71 minutes, Newcastle slipped behind in this friendly contest.
Joelinton’s attempt to hook it clear saw him catch Patrick Bauer with Sailsbury pointing for the third time in the game.
Gallagher again stepped up and lashed it past Woodman to make it 2-1.
Newcastle carved out another chance with 16 minutes left as Sean Longstaff’s quick free-kick picked out Jack Colback.
But Rudd raced out to block the former Sunderland midfielder and snuff out the chance.
Late in the game, Almiron won a loose ball mid-way in the Preston half but his shot was blazed over.
However, Newcastle could not find a way through and Bruce lost his first game on UK soil at Deepdale amidst monsoon conditions.
