Newcastle boss Eddie Howe had an unusually lengthy news conference last week, grumbling about the Profit and Sustainability Rules that are scuppering his club’s attempts to become a force in the world game.
Like his opposite number Ange Postecoglou, he isn’t the naturally embittered moaning manager type, so both knuckled down to what became an interesting 90 minutes. Players usually decide matches but just sometimes the coaches have the decisive effect.
Newcastle led through a fine Harvey Barnes finish at the break; Ange didn’t wait for the ubiquitous hour mark to wield his influence. Midfielder Pape Sarr was sacrificed, attacker Brennan Johnson was introduced and the system tweaked so James Maddison was free to find deeper space.
The net result was utter domination of the play, a goal made by substitute Johnson 10 minutes later and the game turned on its head. There was only one likely winner at that point, and it wasn’t Newcastle.
Howe gave it five minutes and was then just as radical and influential with his changes. First, Jacob Murphy and then returning Italian star Sandro Tonali came on to regain a midfield foothold. Murphy himself then set up Alexander Isak for the winner.
I could spend pages on the intricacies of the tactical changes, but the headlines above are enough to underline that these are two gifted and adaptable technical coaches.
Is either likely to grab fourth place? Well, both teams are flawed to some degree, but then so are all the others vying for that position.
Pat Nevin was writing for the BBC Football Extra Newsletter