Sheffield United 0 Newcastle United 8: Bulldozed Blades set an unwanted record after going down to their worst ever league defeat

For those in red and white, there was so much to contend with on the pitch and off it on this particular autumnal afternoon.

Maddy Cusack’s passing has devastated the Sheffield United family. Maddy was more than a player who represented the Blades, but part of the fabric at the club where she also worked as a marketing executive.

Newcastle had different feelings to handle themselves after the highs of their midweek visit to the San Siro and return to the top table of European football.

A visit to Bramall Lane was rather less rarefied, but important nevertheless for Eddie Howe and his charges, without a point on the road so far in 2023-24 ahead of this particular encounter.

There was no come-down, quite the opposite on a day when Newcastle passed up the chance of not just equalling the Premier League's biggest ever win, which stands at 9-0, but bettering it. They really should have done following an afternoon which no-one will ever forget.

Newcastle did become the competition's first side to have eight different scorers in a game. Another record, an unwanted one, was set as the Blades were on the receiving end of their record worst-ever league defeat as the visitors made light of some early-season ‘issues’ in a major way.

Almost 24 years to the day, Newcastle equalled their 8-0 victory over the other half of the Steel City. That was on Tyneside, while this goals bonanza constituted the biggest away win in their history.

In the space of 15 first-half minutes, the Magpies tucked in at the expense of the Blades’ lamentable defence, scoring three times, to get the taste for it.

Substitute Anthony Gordon was the chief diner at the banquet, while Kieran Trippier cooked up a treat from his menu of set-piece deliveries.

Gordon would later find the net himself in the second half, scoring a virtuoso goal that his mesmerising performance merited as Newcastle continued to feast. It made for the toughest of watches from a home perspective.

Much, much earlier, a couple of moments of controversy went against Paul Heckingbottom’s side, as has been the way on two many occasions so far this season. It was insignificant by the end.

On a difficult day, United failed to keep their heads clear - their defensive discipline totally disintegrated and there was little protection in front of the backline as the hosts’ midfield was split asunder. For the best part of 70 minutes.

There was misfortune when VAR did not penalise a handball in the build-up to Newcastle’s opener from Sean Longstaff.

The check showed that Gordon, whose impact after coming on as an early substitute for Harvey Barnes was nothing short of stunning, had kept the ball in play on the byline before teeing up Longstaff to fire home.

Because Gordon did not score himself and the handball was viewed as accidental and it preceded another player scoring, it was allowed to stand.

To add insult to injury, there was also a debate regarding Newcastle’s third goal which arrived when a free-kick was awarded after Jack Robinson was penalised for a strong challenge on Longstaff which won the ball and wasn’t studs-up.

What was not open to conjecture was the meek marking which enabled the visitors to end the game as a contest after just 36 minutes with soft goals from Dan Burn and Sven Botman quickly adding to Longstaff’s opener.

Burn beat Anel Ahmedhodzic far too easily to head in a Trippier’s inswinging corner. Botman then got between Luke Thomas and Oli Norwood to glance in another fine delivery from Trippier. It got significantly worse.

The signings of James McAtee - who showed why Heckingbottom was so keen to bring him back to the club early on when the game was ‘live’ - Cameron Archer and Gus Hamer have added undoubted quality to the club’s offensive options.

At the back end, they look extremely short by contrast following an occasion when Newcastle could have won by several more goals in truth, hard as that is to believe. Without the presence of Wes Foderingham in goal, it would have been double figures.

Before the football match, there was perspective. Unitedites come together to remember one of their own before the kick-off in Maddy.

Applause started in the Newcastle end in an impromptu moment in a classy touch.

Club legend Tony Currie, another class act, was there with Maddy's loved ones in the centre of the pitch to provide comfort as a video montage celebrating her life was aired and applause rang out around a pretty full stadium.

The home sections were rather less populated as Newcastle filled their boots on the resumption.

Callum Wilson got the goal he had more than hinted at in the first period, heading in a cross from assist-king Trippier.

Gordon then went solo before Miguel Almiron and Bruno Guimaraes got in on the act as the scoreline got truly embarrassing.

As the clock ticked, there was more to come. A weak header from Tom Davies was seized upon by replacement Alexander Isak, who hared away and added an eighth.

Sheffield United: Foderingham; Ahmedhodzic, Egan, Robinson; Bogle (Traore 45), Hamer (Slimane 66), Norwood (T Davies 62), Souza, Thomas, McAtee (Basham 75); Archer. Unused substitutes: A Davies, Trusty, Larouchi, Brooks, Seriki.

Newcastle United: Pope; Trippier (Livramento 70), Schar, Botman, Burn; Anderson, Guimaraes (Hall 81), Longstaff; Almiron (Tonali 70), Barnes (Gordon 70); Wilson (Isak 70). Unused substitutes: Dubravka, Lascelles, Targett, Murphy.

Referee: S Attwell (Warwicks).