It is a new era at Newcastle United, but some things never change. Take the Magpies being knocked out of the FA Cup in January.
Remarkably, for the 10th time in the last 17 seasons, Newcastle have failed to progress past the third round of the competition following a 2-1 defeat against League One side Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday night. In truth, the much-changed visitors only had themselves to blame for being on the end of another giant killing - 12 months on from a humiliating cup exit at the hands of Cambridge United.
Newcastle had 75% possession, 11 corners and a whopping 22 shots at Hillsborough yet, somehow, Howe's team only scored once. Even then, substitute Bruno Guimaraes' 69th-minute goal proved a mere consolation when Newcastle were already 2-0 down.
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Newcastle's failure to take their chances was particularly costly on a night where brave Wednesday made the most of some porous defending for both of Josh Windass' second-half goals. This was a far cry from the solidity Newcastle showed during a 15-game unbeaten run that culminated in the Magpies ruffling feathers at league leaders Arsenal on Tuesday night.
However, in truth, this was a completely different side from the one that is flying in third place in the Premier League. Howe's decision to make a whopping eight changes ultimately backfired and exposed the limitations of this squad during a packed run of fixtures and the 45-year-old felt the need to apologise to the supporters for the result after the game.
How Newcastle respond to their first defeat since August will be telling and the black-and-whites will certainly have to be clinical against Leicester City on Tuesday night. Howe will already know that after seeing his side also spurn a host of opportunities against Leeds United last week.
"I'd be the first to say if it was for a lack of effort or commitment or whatever that is connected to the brain that is negative," he told reporters after Newcastle's cup exit. "I saw a team that was committed and gave everything. There are some great professionals in the group and they were hugely disappointed. It was our goalscoring that was the issue."
Newcastle will soon have the chance to make amends, but it is hard to imagine any of the Magpies' fringe players playing their way into contention for that huge game on Tuesday night. In fact, this performance did little to suggest some of these individuals will even be at the club in a year's time.
That is the tricky next phase of this rebuild for Newcastle's watching owners. For Newcastle to be able to compete on several fronts, Howe is going to need a deeper squad with more quality without 'destroying' the spirit of the group. All while complying with Financial Fair Play regulations.
Sven Botman, Sean Longstaff and Joelinton were the only survivors from the Emirates who kept their places on Saturday night and the trio are likely to be the only starters retained from Hillsborough, too, with Nick Pope, Kieran Trippier, Fabian Schar, Dan Burn, Bruno Guimaraes, Joe Willock, Miguel Almiron and Callum Wilson all to potentially return to the starting line-up.
As much as that is a settled group, the side that lined up against Wednesday was anything but with a host of players lacking match sharpness as they made their first starts in months or even their first starts of the campaign full stop. Wednesday, who were on a 17-game unbeaten run themselves, quickly took encouragement as this old stadium rocked.
Jamal Lewis' slack throw-in was pounced upon by Liam Palmer in the sixth minute, but the Wednesday skipper fired wide. Then, just a few minutes later, Elliot Anderson's poor backpass played Windass in only for the striker to fire wide.
If those were warning signs, well, Newcastle did not exactly heed them - even if record signing Alexander Isak forced goalkeeper Cameron Dawson into two fine stops before eventually being replaced by Chris Wood at half-time as planned.
Newcastle had the luxury of being able to introduce one big-money striker for another, but it was Wednesday who ultimately broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute. It all came from George Byers, under pressure from Elliot Anderson and Sean Longstaff, taking the midfielders out of the game with a smart 180 degree turn by the halfway line.
Newcastle then allowed Byers to carry the ball before the midfielder picked out Palmer, who slipped Dennis Adeniran in down the right. The substitute's cross was met by Windass at the near post to send the home support wild. Windass looked like he was offside - on a night where VAR was not in operation - but Newcastle should never have been in this position in the first place.
Yet Newcastle had a glorious opportunity to equalise just three minutes later when the ball fell kindly to Anderson after Sven Botman's volley was blocked, but Dawson kept out the midfielder's effort with his feet. That was the cue for Howe to send on further reinforcements - throwing on Bruno, Willock and Almiron - but it was Wednesday who got that crucial second goal midway through the second half. Again, some sloppy play in the middle of the park proved costly for Newcastle.
There were 65 minutes on the clock when Bruno's poor header ricocheted off Joelinton into the path of Geordie Michael Smith, who played Windass in. Windass easily raced past Jamaal Lascelles and lashed the ball home to double Wednesday's advantage and leave Newcastle reeling.
Howe had no choice but to throw on his final game-changer, Trippier, who made an immediate impact with his first touch in the 69th minute. Trippier's teasing delivery was flicked on by Wood at the near post and Dawson could only parry the ball into the path of Bruno, who knocked it in from close range.
The away end roared in hope and Newcastle did have a chance to set up a grandstand finish late on. However, Wood, somehow, scooped the ball over from close range after being played in by Joelinton. If ever a moment summed up a miserable night. This side did not even deserve a replay.
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