Newcastle United is less a football club than a company of strangers. Nine players have joined this summer, a dozen have left, the volume of coaching staff has increased by 50 per cent, a new owner is in situ and a new chairman in place. The transition may appear seamless, but Sam Allardyce, the manager, feels “absolutely mentally fatigued”.

The international break has come at a decent time; Newcastle’s unbeaten start, while solid and encouraging, disguises the scale of upheaval on Tyneside. Relationships are raw. “I’ve torn the place apart in three months,” Allardyce said, which should be a consideration for those demanding munificent victories. “The longer we stay undefeated, the more confidence will grow and we’ll learn about each other a lot quicker because the players are going to be more receptive than if we’re losing.

“Look at poor Martin Jol [at Tottenham Hotspur]. He is put under intense pressure and his players now can’t get a result because of it. I had that at Bolton, with a bottom-three scenario, and it just makes your players so fearful, they can’t put one foot in front of the other.”

Formations, tactics and other nice ties are works in progress. Allardyce’s most significant decisions on Saturday were to restrict Shay Given to the substitutes’ bench – “Stevie Harper has not put a foot wrong for me [in goal],” he said – and to field Michael Owen alongside Mark Viduka in the 4-4-2 system that best suits the England striker.

With Gérémi, Nicky Butt and Alan Smith in midfield, Newcastle possess plenty of parry, but they lack the thrust of the injured Joey Barton, Emre Belözoglu and Damien Duff; they are more functional than fluid. Chances came against a well-drilled Wigan Athletic team – Owen was sharp, if unfortunate, and Steven Taylor struck the bar – but not in abundance.

If Kevin Kilbane had not been sent off 29 seconds into the second half, Wigan might have endured. The decision was wretched – Kilbane’s challenge on Smith was a clash of heads – and it was not the only bad one from Steve Bennett. “We’re not allowed to speak to referees and it’s a good job because I might get myself into trouble,” Chris Hutchings, the Wigan manager, said. “He was poor.”

Owen separated the teams with a near-post header from a cross by Obafemi Martins in the 87th minute. “He’s a goalscorer,” Hutchings said. “You get the ball in the box, he’ll score. He’s a fox in the box. He’s a little bugger.”

For Allardyce, he ensured rest and respite.

Newcastle United (4-4-2): S Harper 7 – S Taylor 6, Caça-pa 7, D Rozehnal 7, C N’Zogbia 7 – A Smith 5 (sub: O Martins, 66min 7), N Butt 7, Gérémi 6, J Milner 7 – M Owen 7, M Viduka 5 (sub: F Ameobi, 46 5). Substitutes not used: S Given, D Edgar, M Pattison. Booked: Smith, N’Zogbia. Next: Derby County (a).

Wigan Athletic (4-4-2): C Kirkland 7 – M Melchiot 6, A Granqvist 6, T Bramble 6, K Kilbane 6 – M Brown 5, D Landzaat 4 (sub: J Skoko, 30 5), P Scharner 7, J Koumas 7 (sub: M Bent, 58 5) – E Heskey 7, A Sibierski 5 (sub: E Boyce, 48 5). Substitutes not used: M Pollitt, J Agha-howa. Booked: Kilbane, Heskey, Scharner, Brown. Sent off: Kilbane. Next: Fulham (h).

Referee S Bennett
Attendance 50,461