Clinical Magpies took Spurs apart with only two shots on target

Matthias Jaissle, by his own admission, “likes challenges” and this was certainly a big one to take on.

Saturday was exactly 30 days since predecessor Eddie Howe oversaw what proved to be his final match in charge, a sobering 4-1 friendly defeat by Bristol City, before stepping down.

Newcastle had sold Sandro Tonali. Anthony Gordon had left for Barcelona. Captain Bruno Guimaraes’ sights were set on a move to Arsenal.

The start of the season was also rapidly approaching.

Newcastle have made further additions since then, but only one of their seven summer signings, Nico Gonzalez, has previously played in the Premier League.

All of the new arrivals are aged 24 and under.

Yet you would not necessarily know it by the immediate impact full-back Amar Dedic has made following his £30m move from Benfica, or how Lukas Hornicek has stood up to the physicality of the Premier League since his £25.7m switch from Braga.

It could easily be forgotten, given what happened after the break at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but Hornicek was among those to play an important role in this win after making three saves at crucial moments in the first half.

No wonder Jaissle clenched his fists on the touchline after Hornicek got a strong hand behind Jan Paul van Hecke’s header.

There was a similarly enthusiastic reaction from the former Hoffenheim defender when Lewis Hall blocked a goalbound effort from Pedro Porro in the first half.

Although Newcastle beat Spurs last season, too, there were also a number of games when the visitors wilted in such circumstances.

Newcastle won just four of their 19 top-flight matches on the road and, home or away, they had not previously kept a single clean sheet since March.

However, going in level in their first away day of this campaign gave Newcastle the chance to regroup at half-time.

The visitors sought to be more aggressive after the break and clinically took Spurs apart with their only two shots on target.