Having spent much of the build-up to this game bemoaning the impending loss of Yohan Cabaye to Paris Saint-Germain, Newcastle supporters left Norfolk shaking their heads for another reason entirely, because the fact their side failed to win this game was almost beyond belief.

The three times the ball rebounded off the Norwich woodwork represented a relatively small percentage of Newcastle’s efforts on goal during a performance of embarrassing dominance.

Had Cabaye been retained, or if Dutch striker Luuk de Jong’s transfer from Borussia Möenchengladbach been completed in time for him to play, it would surely have been different. As it is Newcastle manager Alan Pardew must hope De Jong is fit and ready for Saturday’s derby against Sunderland, because with ten minutes remaining, Löic Rémy, having hit shots against post and bar, managed to get himself sent off for a head-down confrontation with Bradley Johnson.

With Papiss Cissé, Fabricio Coloccini, Yoan Gouffran, Gaël Bigirimana and Gabriel Obertan among those currently out injured, and the likes of Sylvain Marveaux apparently terminally out of favour, it seems fair to say Rémy’s moment of madness, like Cabaye’s departure, could have been better timed.

Chris Hughton is hoping to bring in Lazio’s French central defender Michaël Ciani before the transfer window closes, during which time it seems likely Wes Hoolahan will depart. The Ireland international’s non-appearance, together with Jonás Gutiérrez being unable to play against his parent club, meant Anthony Pilkington was given a rare start in midfield.

Newcastle certainly started as if determined to make a point, passing the ball smartly on a pitch made slick by steady rain. City goalkeeper John Ruddy looked calm enough as he watched Rémy’s early effort curl outside his left-hand post, but the shot was inches rather than feet wide.

The fact that it was Davide Santon lining up a free-kick from 22 yards soon afterwards was an early reminder to Newcastle fans of Cabaye’s absence, made crueller when Santon failed to get his shot over the Norwich defensive wall.

It was the 16th minute before Norwich mustered their first attack, which having been easily snuffed out, resulted in them being caught out badly on the break. Hatem Ben Arfa picked out Moussa Sissoko with a pass inside City full-back Martin Olsson, and the midfielder pulled the ball back perfectly for Rémy, but the striker’s shot was easily saved by Ruddy.

The Norwich goalkeeper was less comfortable moments later, when after reaching for Rémy’s chipped cross from the left, he pawed awkwardly at the ball and saw it rebound back off Bradley Johnson and against the inside of his right-hand post before Johnson hacked it clear.

Soon afterwards it was Ruddy’s left-hand post that was vibrating, after Rémy, again picked out by Sissoko, drove down the left, cut inside and curled his shot beyond Ruddy.

Newcastle’s dominance was reaching ridiculous proportions, and three minutes before half-time it seemed the breakthrough that so long threatened had finally arrived. Rémy slipped Sammy Ameobi in behind the Norwich defence on the left, and the pull-back arrived at the feet of Ben Arfa as he arrived in the penalty area. Needing only to keep his shot on target, the Frenchman somehow scuffed his shot over the bar.

Incredibly, Norwich might have gone in ahead, but Gary Hooper’s firm shot was saved by Newcastle Tim Krul. When one Norwich fan let Robert Snodgrass know what they thought of his subsequent weakly hit corner, the midfielder responded in kind, an incident which summed up what had been a miserable 45 minutes from the home team.

The hitherto anonymous Ricky Van Wolfswinkel improved the shot count to 14-3 in Newcastle’s favour early in the second half with a hopeful effort that deflected wide off a defender, but while Norwich could only improve, the momentum remained firmly with the visitors. Referee Chris Foy’s decision not to award a penalty when Ben Arfa, clean through, went down after seeming to be clipped by Ryan Bennett was hard to understand – as was the fact that having presumably decided Ben Arfa had dived, he did not book him.

On the hour, amazingly, Newcastle hit the woodwork for a third time. This time Rémy, having stroked a free-kick against the bar with Ruddy well beaten, simply shrugged, and sure enough, Newcastle heads began to drop.

The possibility of conceding a late goal was always there, and it nearly happened when Hooper’s effort was deflected against the top of Krul’s bar. With both sides reduced to ten, the Newcastle goalkeeper also had to save with his legs from Snodgrass.

• Premier League
• Norwich City
• Newcastle United

Richard Rae

theguardian.com