PERHAPS Newcastle United got their priorities wrong in the final stages of a poor and much-discussed transfer window.

Marc Guehi was the leading target in the last knockings of the summer and while the capture of the England international would undoubtedly have been a major boost for the Magpies, two months into the season it's the attack rather than the defence that will be keeping Eddie Howe awake at night.

Guehi's arrival would have significantly strengthened Newcastle's backline but it's at the other end where United's summer failings are coming back to haunt them.

The Magpies have only kept two clean sheets in their first eight games but they've conceded the same number of goals as Arsenal and have a better defensive record than Aston Villa, Brighton and Tottenham - all above them in the table.

The attack is a different story. Second bottom Wolves and an Everton side that failed to find the net until their third game this season have scored more goals.

It's now 404 minutes since Harvey Barnes' goal at Fulham, Newcastle's last in open play - though Howe will still be wondering how on earth that stretch didn't come to an end against Brighton on Saturday.

United had 21 shots and their best chances fell to the players who Howe would have backed to stick them away - Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon.

But Isak looked rusty after returning from his three-game absence and Gordon, who had put money behind the bar at The Strawberry on Saturday as a show of thanks to fans for their support after his Everton penalty miss, couldn't put that frustration behind him and was wasteful.

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On another day Gordon buries one of his chances, Isak will only get sharper and more clinical with games after his latest lay-off and Callum Wilson will be back before the month is out but Newcastle's lack of cutting edge will still be a concern for Howe.

And although the head coach insists he won't be panicked into making January demands, the forward line will need attention if Newcastle's struggle in front of goal continues.

"I think we have to take a long term strategic view looking at ages and contract lengths, positional need," said Howe.

"There'll be no snap decisions based on a couple of games where we haven't scored. Of course if that trend was to continue long term then we'd look at that.

"But there were attacking positions we were looking to strengthen in the creative areas so I don't think it was a one-dimensional transfer strategy. Of course we didn't end up achieving success in those positions."

The attacking position Howe alludes to there is right-wing and it's an area that still needs attention. Jacob Murphy's final ball let him down against Brighton, Miguel Almiron hasn't started a league game this season and Gordon and Harvey Barnes are both more comfortable on the left.

United did sign a striker in Will Osula but the fact he wasn't introduced until the 92nd minute of a game in which Newcastle had been trailing since the 35th minute again showed that the 21-year-old isn't deemed ready to make a Premier League impact.

If only Newcastle had a striker in the form of evergreen Danny Wellbeck. The 33-year-old provided the matchwinning moment with his and Brighton's first touch in the home box 10 minutes before the break, and although the ex-Manchester United and Arsenal forward had to be stretchered off  with a back injury late on, the Seagulls saw it out to hand Newcastle their first home defeat since January.

"If you look at the way we started the season we probably weren’t playing very well but we picked up the points and today we have played well and haven’t," said Howe.

"You can’t have everything. I feel that was more of an us performance for the majority and we just have to try and build on that."