Newcastle 0 Aston Villa 0

Newcastle 0 Aston Villa 0

The stage was set for a storybook start to Sam Allardyce’s St James’s Park career but in the end Newcastle’s mis-firing stars had to thank keeper Steve Harper for saving them a point.

Even the 63rd-minute introduction of Michael Owen failed to galvanise the home side against Martin O’Neill’s men who were on top throughout and unlucky not to claim victory.