Newcastle fans voiced their approval as Sandro Tonali was substituted 15 minutes before the end of the match, with the cheers rivaling those for Newcastle's two goals. Chants of "You should have stayed at a big club" were directed at Tonali, who is reportedly struggling to adapt at Tottenham.
His replacement at Newcastle, Nico Gonzalez, who was signed for £50 million, was described as looking like "twice the player at half the price" during the game. Gonzalez provided the assist for Newcastle's opening goal, scored by Anthony Elanga. Gonzalez was substituted shortly before Tonali, having delivered a disciplined and diligent performance. The decision to substitute Tonali was reportedly made as the team required a better midfield presence.
During the initial stages of the match, Tonali found more Newcastle players with his passes compared to the end of the previous season, when his focus was perceived to be elsewhere. However, his passing accuracy was noted, with seven of his 36 passes going astray. In contrast, Gonzalez completed 48 of his 51 passes.
Anthony Elanga has scored two goals in two matches, a significant improvement from his debut Premier League season where he did not score at all. Having had a disappointing previous campaign, Elanga is now playing with the form expected of a £55 million signing who was intended to address Newcastle's right-wing issues.
Head coach Matthias Jaissle's energetic touchline presence has been credited with inspiring his players. His demonstrative style has resonated with supporters, who serenaded him with chants of "Jaissle, we can boogie" at full-time. The team appears to be responding positively to his tactics.
Yoane Wissa, after an injury-plagued first season, has become Newcastle's on-field leader. Insiders believe Wissa could be a key difference-maker this season, particularly given his previous scoring record for Brentford. He is now seen as a crucial player for the team.
Right-back Amar Dedic, signed for £30 million, has been highlighted as Newcastle's best player so far this season. He provided his third assist of the season for Elanga's goal. Dedic is noted for his speed, aggression, and ball control, making him appear to be a bargain signing.
Despite a strong start to the match, Newcastle did not register a shot on target until their 62nd-minute opener. The club is reportedly pursuing forwards Matias Fernandez-Pardo from Lille and Bilal El Khannouss from Stuttgart, with hopes of signing at least one of them. The long-term concern for Jaissle is a potential lack of depth in attack, with the team not having replaced the goal output of former players like Anthony Gordon, Bruno Guimaraes, or Alexander Isak.