Matthias Jaissle may not have had Elland Road in his mind when referring to bumps in the road this season, but Monday's trip there tested the suspension of both him and his side to breaking point.

Shortcomings apparent against Millwall but overcome against a depleted Championship side were evident again here. This time though, there was to be no resolution as the Magpies boss experienced his first defeat at the sixth time of asking, adding another unique experience to his first UK tour.

Jaissle's objective of repelling and unpicking a Leeds side unbeaten in their three league outings was made no easier by Anthony Elanga's injury, meaning that the trundling Jacob Murphy was forced to continue on the right.

That task was further complicated by the loss of Nico Gonzalez with concussion, necessitating the arrival of Sean Steur to flank fellow teenager Lewis Miley in central midfield. It was later established that Jacob Ramsey remained on the bench after picking up an injury during the warm-up.

Things rapidly went sour for the Dutch prospect however; quickly providing assists for the first two Leeds goals via an inadvertent deflection and a misplaced pass out of defence.

Two behind and with a buoyant home crowd in full flow, Newcastle desperately needed a foothold in the game. However, a rare flowing move upfield ended with Yoane Wissa grounded in a vain attempt at gaining a penalty as Harvey Barnes failed to find a way past James Trafford.

Hornicek was by far the busier of the two goalkeepers as those in front of him maintained their unwelcome habit of allowing opposition players free reign to shoot, interspersing seat of the pants buck-passing on the edge of their own box with the footballing equivalent of firing tracer rounds.

Fernandez-Pardo meanwhile endured a miserable night on what was his first start in four months, isolated up front with occasional upfield hoofs vaguely in his orbit passing for service.

Our summary on 45 minutes was playing to our weaknesses, before a third home goal in time added on ended the game as a contest and condemned the Magpies to a first defeat here in four visits.

The hosts may have shipped four goals at Chelsea last week in less than 15 minutes, but what would have been the most unforeseen of revivals never looked like happening here: the arrival of messrs Willock, Livramento and Toure almost immediately followed by a fourth Leeds goal.

The latter at least get his name on the scoresheet, after hinting at providing the service from wide areas that we desperately crave when deployed down the left. We also looked a better team once Joe Willock was in it, notwithstanding the fact that Leeds calmed themselves down.

Having started out with notions of taking third spot behind Arsenal and Manchester City, Newcastle ended the night in the bottom half of the table, outgunned, out-muscled and out-thought across the field to a demoralising extent, but beaten for the first time under this coach. Concern, not panic.

This may be a wake-up call, but it's no shock, given the seismic changes this squad has undergone and the need to establish identity and leadership. It's reasonable to expect a season of undulations, but signs of development and progress need to appear to keep folk "on message" as formations and personnel are evaluated in real time. At this point in time though, the spine of the side isn't there.

Leeds meanwhile remain unbeaten in the Premier League, two victories and two draws seeing them go third on goal difference from Newcastle's next opponents, Hull City. The Tigers will doubtless try to emulate Leeds and Bournemouth by attempting to exacerbate our weak spot in central midfield.

Overcoming that without turning into Sam Allardyce clones is Jaissle's immediate priority.

Biffa