This fixture had long since been prophesied as the final-day survival showdown.
In the end it was a dead-rubber best remembered for a goal by a young man for whom relegation scraps should not be a concern.
Joe Willock, the Arsenal loanee, has now scored in his last seven matches for Newcastle, equalling a feat last achieved by Alan Shearer 25 years ago.
At 21, his future belongs at the top end of the table. But that about next season? Steve Bruce wants to make permanent his stay on Tyneside.