Yikes, was that a kick where the sun don't shine! What we witnessed in stark black and white madness at an unbelieving St James Park was incredibly harmful.

In two hours Newcastle's whole season appeared to unravel before our very eyes. United bombed out of the FA Cup which was a competition that had looked very winnable and at the same time put a huge dent in their chances of somehow beating the country's best team Liverpool in the Carabao Cup at Wembley a fortnight hence.

All their eggs are definitely lying in one basket, something I pleaded they avoided in the FA Cup. Options have been lost. It is now all or nothing.

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Not only do United approach their big day under the Wembley arch in disarray having suffered three defeats in their last four games but have lost their England winger Anthony Gordon for the Carabao Cup showpiece through a moment of sheer lunacy.

What on earth was Gordon thinking? Why on earth did he lay hands on an opponent and receive a deserved red card? Does United's dressing room house hotheads as well as players of pedigree? Two years ago Nick Pope missed the final because of a red card and now Gordon has committed the same sin.

Unless United can somehow win an appeal and get the red rescinded or a three-match ban reduced to one - and for the life of me I cannot see it - then Gordon, a Scouser, may as well sit amongst the 30,000 Geordie onlookers at Wembley. He will be of absolutely no use to us.

That is bad enough but fans must also have a more than passing concern for Alexander Isak who missed the PL defeat at Liverpool, returned here and scored as usual, but was then subbed before the end of normal time when crucially United were chasing a winner. He left the arena with a grimace of pain and our heart fell.

I said after Anfield that United without Isak are like Ant without Dec, Wise without Morecambe. They are half the side and probably less. Callum Wilson as on Merseyside did nothing to suggest he can at this stage of his career and fitness levels carry the mantle that fits so snugly around Isak.

Yes, it was good to see Joelinton back, but we must also wait for a fitness update on Lewis Hall, who has an appointment with a specialist about an ankle knock. He played Mo Salah terrifically the other day and our left side at Wembley shorn of Hall and Gordon is not worth thinking about.

Brighton are a jinx to us. Danny Welbeck has now scored the winner at SJP twice this season and Geordies have to go back to a time between the two World Wars 95 years ago to find an FA Cup victory over the Seagulls. Then the legendary Hughie Gallacher claimed a hat-trick (naturally) when United dumped Brighton out at the same fifth round hurdle before the Gallowgate faithful in season 1929-30. Since in six further meetings the Geordie flag was never been raised above the winner's podium.

While Welbeck's finish was sublime defensively United were all over the place. Tino Livramento played him onside and the cross fell over United's unguarded position between the left sided central defender and left-back.

It had all started so promisingly. Isak scored a 20th minute penalty for his 22nd goal in 30 matches covering all competitions and lashed home a spectacular second 10 minutes later only for it to be ruled offside.

It almost ended well too inside allotted time when Fabian Schar volleyed home but once again he had strayed into forbidden territory beyond the last defender.

What positives are there to be taken? None whatsoever. Martin Dubravka has possibly played himself ahead of Pope for Wembley but right now Newcastle United have a week to lick their wounds, contemplate the stupidity of some actions, and stagger on to West Ham desperate to avoid further mishaps and try to patch together some sort of confidence. We went into the last Carabao Cup final two seasons ago devoid of form and look what happened. Get the prayer mat out.

The wonderful run of victories upon victories, beating Arsenal three times, winning at Man U and Spurs in the blink of an eye, appear to be a lifetime ago.