DEFEATS are never welcome but if Newcastle United were going to slip-up in one of two cup ties then better it came against Sheffield Wednesday than Leicester City.

Of course, in an ideal world the Magpies would have advanced in both competitions, but if Saturday night's loss at Hillsborough proved anything it was that Eddie Howe doesn't have the squad depth to fight on three fronts in the second half of the campaign.

That's not to say the team that Howe named - with eight changes from the Arsenal draw - shouldn't have had more than enough to see off their third tier hosts, regardless of Wednesday's fine League One form and a 13-match unbeaten run.

But it was a timely reminder, with the January transfer window open, that Newcastle could be one or two injuries or suspensions away from finding themselves in a spot of bother in the second half of the campaign in their bid to maintain their sparkling form and perhaps secure Champions League football.

READ MORE: Eddie Howe makes 'desperate' FA Cup admission and stands by Newcastle team selection

Looking at the bigger picture, this defeat could actually help Howe if it sparks the club into a signing or two this month, something of a jolt in the same way the Cambridge defeat was last season, though obviously Newcastle's need was much greater then.

"We're aware we don't have the deepest squad," said Newcastle's head coach after the shock defeat.

"We're light on numbers but high on quality. Injuries will dictate how stretched you feel. We gave an opportunity to players who haven't played a lot of minutes. I thought there were some positives and negatives. It's better I analyse that in the cold light of day rather than with emotion."

Alexander Isak aside, none of the players who came into the side made a case to stay there. Isak's return was one of the few positives to emerge, with Howe revealing afterwards that the plan was always for the Swedish striker to play just 45 minutes. How Newcastle will have wished they had Isak or the absent Callum Wilson on the pitch in the second half when chances came and went, Howe bemoaning his side's lack of cutting edge.

Josh Windass had no such problems. It was his quick-fire double at the start of the second half that stunned the Magpies and, after his hat-trick against Cambridge last Monday, took his goal tally for the week to five.

Wednesday had just four shots on target but scored twice. Newcastle had 22 attempts over the course of the 90 minutes but only hit the target with seven and only found the net once, Bruno Guimaraes giving the visitors hope when he bundled home after being introduced from the bench alongside Miguel Almiron and Joe Willock. Kieran Trippier followed soon after.

In an ideal world, they'd have had their feet up all night, fully rested and recovered for Leicester on Tuesday. But their deputies didn't do what was asked and hoped of them.

Cameron Dawson in the Wednesday goal was superb, only Windass denying him Man of the Match. He made an excellent early save to keep out the sharp Isak and was terrific in the second period, though Newcastle didn't manage to hit the target with their best opening when Chris Wood horribly skewed his late shot over the bar. With Isak fit again, chances will be hard to come by for Wood, but he was by no means the only Newcastle player to waste this opportunity.

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Defeat is something Newcastle's players had tasted just once this season before this surprise setback and Howe hopes a reminder of the sinking feeling that comes with a loss will spark a reaction.

"We haven't lost in a long time and I've been in the game too long to ever get complacent," he said.

"In some senses for some of the players it might be a good thing that we have felt that feeling again and it motivates me to not feel it again soon."

This cup defeat will quickly be forgotten if it's followed by a cup victory on Tuesday night.