It's ever so easy to be wise after the event, which is why there’s a clip circulating on social media of an unwise yellow card Sandro Tonali picked up when the going was good.
We might consider that opening-day game against Aston Villa a collector’s item by now – that was his first for Newcastle and there have only been 12. It was also his best by a street, with a fine goal and contributions to three others in a 5-1 win.
He was brilliant, delivering the kind of performance that can make £52million feel like a bargain, if only for a while.