Newcastle fans will be bitterly disappointed to see their side throw away a two-goal lead against Manchester United at the weekend.

The Magpies have struggled to score this season but found themselves ahead by two after just ten minutes thanks to goals from Yoshinori Muto and Kenedy. Newcastle continued to dominate proceedings and should have added to the scoreline to seal the points. A second-half revival with goals from Juan Mata, Anthony Martial and Alexis Sanchez ensured that Newcastle are still searching for their first win of the season.

For the first hour against the Red Devils, Newcastle looked fantastic. Rafael Benitez’s side defended well, controlled the midfield battle and looked dangerous in attack. However, United were able to capitalise as tiredness set in during the second half. Nevertheless, should they continue to perform as they did against Jose Mourinho’s men, results will undoubtedly improve after the international break.

Benitez should be looking to bolster his squad during the January transfer window to add some much-needed depth to his team. One man he should be keeping tabs on is Chelsea outcast – Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Valued at £16.2m by Transfermarkt, the England international remains out of favour under Maurizio Sarri and could seek an exit in the New Year.

Loftus-Cheek impressed last season on loan at Crystal Palace and was expected to fight for a place in the Chelsea first-team. However, the youngster was pushed further down the pecking order following the arrivals of Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic at Stamford Bridge. As a result, he has played just 33 minutes of Premier League football so far.

The 22-year-old would be a superb addition to the Newcastle midfield and allow Benitez to rotate his players keeping them fit. Loftus-Cheek is a one of a kind footballer, combining excellent physical strength with fantastic technical ability.

Alongside Jonjo Shelvey in the engine room, the Magpies would have a midfield that can dig them out of trouble.

Newcastle fans, thoughts?