That wait goes on, but a defeat should not exactly have been a foregone conclusion – even if Aston Villa are flying in third place.

Newcastle were fresh from defeating PSV Eindhoven 3-0 in the Champions League in midweek.

They had not been beaten at home in the Premier League since October, scoring at least two goals in each of their previous eight top-flight games at St James’.

The hosts were facing an Aston Villa side who had only touched down from Istanbul in the early hours of Friday morning following their Europa League tie against Fenerbahce.

And Howe’s men certainly had their chances to strike.

The game had not long kicked off when Sandro Tonali weaved past three Aston Villa players only to be denied by the foot of goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, while fellow midfielder Lewis Miley saw a header clawed away as his side pushed for an equaliser.

Howe paid tribute to the pair for having “good games”, on an afternoon he also lost another Brazilian, Joelinton, to a groin injury.

But the Newcastle head coach tellingly rued the absence of another midfielder post-match.

“It’s not necessarily a slight on them,” he said. “I just thought we missed Bruno’s forward thinking.

“He always wants to pass forward and is always looking for a creative pass. You could see we missed that today.

“He always wants the ball and he’s always demanding the ball from his team-mates. They’re massive qualities, and then there’s his never-say-die spirit and attitude, too.”

There have been countless examples.

When Newcastle were 3-2 down against Leeds United in the 90th minute earlier this month, Guimaraes scored a late penalty to draw his side level before they went on to, somehow, win the game.

When it was goalless in matches versus Crystal Palace, Burnley, Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest, the 28-year-old opened the scoring.

Guimaraes even popped up with a late winner against Fulham back in October.

Yet Newcastle never looked like producing a similar moment as the game went on, and forwards Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade mustered just a measly shot between them.

This side lacked the guile to unlock a stubborn defence once again in the second half – just a week after failing to find the back of the net against bottom of the table Wolves.

It is worth noting Guimaraes was in the side that afternoon.

“There’s no point me thinking we need another type of player at this moment because it’s not going to happen,” Howe said.

“The next chance we will really have to change the squad will be in the summer. It’s about getting the best out of the players we have.”