Newcastle 0 Sheffield United 1: Sheffield United striker Danny Webber piled the pressure on Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder as his header snatched three Barclays Premiership points at St James' Park.
Webber powered a 68th-minute Nick Montgomery cross past the helpless Steve Harper to hand the Blades their first away goal in the league and a first victory in four games and send the Magpies into 19th place in the league table.
It was scarcely more than the visitors deserved as they punished a woeful performance by Roeder's men, who have not won a league game on their own pitch since the opening day of the season.
Newcastle were second best throughout two days after their UEFA Cup heroics in Palermo and barely created a chance of any note as Charles N'Zogbia's mishit 30th-minute cross which hit the bar represented their best effort.
wThe crowd vented their anger on chairman Freddy Shepherd and his board as another three points were allowed to slip away, and boos once again resounded around St James' on the final whistle.
The Magpies head for Watford in the Carling Cup on Tuesday night in their third match inside six days, but both that competition and Europe are minor considerations when compared to their plight in the league.
The Magpies face a trip to Manchester City next weekend having taken just a single point from home clashes with Charlton and Sheffield United and knowing a vast improvement is required, and quickly.
