Newcastle splashing the cash to sign Jonjo Shelvey shows Mike Ashley is aware of club's predicament... but there are signs of hope following draw with Manchester United

It was at this time last year that Newcastle owner Mike Ashley began to worry quite seriously that his club may get relegated from the Barclays Premier League. His response was to try and tempt Steve McClaren from Derby County to become his next manager.

McClaren refused to come until the summer and, under the uncertain stewardship of John Carver, Newcastle almost went down.

Twelve months on and a similarly depressing fate stalks the Newcastle boardroom once again. This time round things are even worse and the stakes even higher. Next year’s gigantic increase in TV money for those clubs part of the elite top flight cartel means that relegation represents an even greater disaster than ever before. 

Newcastle United's new £12m signing Jonjo Shelvey was paraded ahead of the draw with Manchester United

The Magpies first January signing, Henri Saivet from Bordeaux, was also in attendance at St James' Park

Newcastle defender Paul Dummett celebrates after scoring a late equaliser against Manchester United

Newcastle midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum roars with delight after scoring against Man United on Tuesday

So once again Ashley has responded, this time by signing players, and that is proof at least that the man so mistrusted by Newcastle supporters at least has his eyes wide open in terms of the predicament threatening to swallow up this football club.

It has to be said that Jonjo Shelvey could have looked a little more excited as he sauntered on to the field to be introduced to the crowd prior to kick off here.

Shelvey – accompanied by the rather less known African midfielder Henri Saivet – gave it his best casual chic look as he arrived pitchside. We trust his efforts next time he steps foot on this particular surface will be more memorable.

Nevertheless, after a summer of reasonable spending on players who would certainly not have been McClaren’s first picks, Shelvey, who is one, at least represents a proper signing while Saivet, in France at least, comes with a little pedigree too.

This for so long has been a Newcastle team that lacks any kind of real identity and focus. It is a team of largely unrecognisable faces that have become in many ways the polar opposite of what this club has traditionally been about, a team without heroes that has just allowed itself to drift.

McClaren thus far has been unable to address this. Asked back in late autumn if he thought his squad had within it the type of players he really needed, the former England manager replied with the kind of desperate diplomacy that served only to provide the largest possible window through which to view his actual thoughts. 

Newcastle will be hoping new boys Shelvey and Saivet will help the club beat the drop from the Premier League

Shelvey is no marquee signing having appeared to lose his way during spells with Liverpool and Swansea

Shelvey is no marquee signing, of course. He is, on the face of it, a player rejected by Swansea because he is deemed to have lost his way a little.

The former Liverpool midfielder is, however, a more than capable footballer and, when properly motivated, the kind of player who could inject a little forward thrust and momentum in a team that has spent all of this season devoid of any.

Here at St James’ Park, the word on Tuesday night was that there may be another English acquisition too with Tottenham’s out of favour winger Andros Townsend on the Newcastle radar. One would also imagine, or hope at least, that McClaren is imploring the club’s very influential chief scout Graham Carr to find him a centre forward too. 

Shelvey holds the Newcastle shirt aloft at the club's training ground after completing his move on Tuesday

Newcastle manager Steve McClaren looks on as Newcastle took on Louis van Gaal's Red Devils at home

A team that plays without an effective central striker really isn’t much of a team at all. Newcastle have discovered that this season and so indeed have Manchester United.

Here on Tuesday night Wayne Rooney actually found a little of his true self and played rather well. Sadly for Newcastle their centre forward Aleksandar Mitrovic did not contribute anything approaching enough until winning and converting his penalty with 23 minutes left.

Match days on Tyneside are certainly peculiar affairs these days. They no longer come to this great cathedral on the hill with any kind of optimism. They turn up with some vague hope that that if they keep coming then something may eventually change. From that point of view, the supporters are not terribly dissimilar to the players.  

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney celebrates after opening the scoring from the penalty spot

Newcastle's Chancel Mbemba appeals to referee Mike Dean after he was adjudged to have handled in the area

Magpies striker Aleksandar Mitrovic slotted home from the spot during an epic encounter on Tyneside

Here at least, however, Newcastle did find something of which they could be proud against a typically compliant United side, even if they did have to fall two goals behind to rouse themselves.

In allowing United to steal in to their lead, McClaren’s team were too often supine, gifting United first a penalty and then a second goal by conceding possession cheaply. In his technical area, the Newcastle manager grew puce.

Given enough encouragement, however, this home crowd can still lend their team something of worth and once Georginio Wijnaldum scored for Newcastle in the latter stages of the first half they were the better team. From that point on this became a really terrific game of football with Paul Dummett striking a late Newcastle equaliser.

Much will be said and written about United on Wednesday morning. Within this game, however, were signs of hope for the home team.