The Premier League's new Saudi owners got a sobering reality check in the first game in charge of their new club

• Newcastle United was thrashed by Tottenham in the first game of its new Saudi-backed era.
• The club was taken over by a consortium backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund earlier this month.
• Its new owners say they want to replicate the achievements of Manchester City and PSG.

It was supposed to be a day of celebrations at St. James' Park as Newcastle United faced Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday it what was the first match of its new Saudi-led era.

And prior to the match, it was.

Fans swarmed the streets, some paying tribute to new owners with keffiyehs on their heads, and others draped in Saudi Arabian flags in tribute to their controversial new owners, which have promised to take the club to the Champions League and beyond following the departure of Mike Ashley.

But after kick-off, it didn't take long for the sobering reality of the true task ahead to dawn on new chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan and part-owner Amanda Staveley.

Striker Callum Wilson put Steve Bruce's side 1-0 up within just two minutes, sparking wild scenes in the stands and prompting Al-Rumayyan and Staveley to embrace in the directors' box.

By the end of the first half, however, the pair's smiles had turned to frowns. Goals from Tanguy Ndombele, Harry Kane, and Son Heung-min had secured victory for the visitors, who outclassed Steve Bruce's side all over the pitch.

Jonjo Shelvey's second half red card was the final nail in the coffin, and a less than gentle reminder that Newcastle - much like Shelvey when he tripped Sergio Reguilon - is far behind where it ultimately wants to be.

Newcastle's long awaited takeover was completed earlier this month when a consortium including Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund joined forces to buy Ashley out.

The Saudi state's fund - which is worth $435 billion - provided 80% of the $419 million needed, while Staveley's PCP Capital Partners and developers Simon and David Reuben purchased 10% each.

Unsurprisingly, the club was immediately linked with a number of world soccer's biggest stars, including Erling Braut Haaland and Kylian Mbappe.

"Of course we have the same ambitions as Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain in terms of trophies," Staveley proudly declared on the day of the takeover.

Sunday was a reality check.

Realistically Newcastle's main objective for now is to simply stay in the Premier League, and it does not have the pulling power to attract players of the caliber of Haaland and Mbappe.

For now, at least, the man who is tasked with keeping 19th placed Newcastle is Steve Bruce.

Whether or not he seems up to the job is up for debate. Asked about his future after the defeat to Spurs, he said: "I'll wait until they see fit and we'll see what they are going to say.

"You better ask somebody else about that one."