But make no mistake, this was very much a story of surrender for Alan Pardew's Magpies after they allowed themselves to have their wings clipped at the Etihad Stadium.
But the most painful thing about this sorry defeat was that Newcastle didn't show any type of ambition to cause a shock.
Roberto Mancini's side were soon rubbing their hands in glee once it became obvious that Newcastle were not set up to pose some serious questions of the home defence.
The reality of this game is that United looked like they were prepared to ride their luck and attempt to hit City on the counter-attack.
However, they ended up being picked off and if they turn up in Lisbon with the same mentality against Benfica then more misery is in store.
But if you don't get into their faces and at least test Joe Hart, inevitably, with world-class finishers on the team sheet, they will take their chances.
For his supply line was slow and infrequent, with the men who have the capabilities to feed him overworked with their defensive duties.
Cisse may as well have wandered up to the padded seats in the Press box at times to get some rest in for Benfica's Estádio da Luz – the Stadium of Light – in the Portugese capital.
The fact Elliot was caught time wasting – to the frustration of the home crowd – after half-an-hour's play told you everything you need to know about the game plan on Saturday.
Samir Nasri then rolled the ball across the face of goal for Elliot to keep out Edin Dzeko and somehow when it fell loose, Gareth Barry scooped the ball high over the top just after the mid-way mark.
And they were sliced open when Silva's pass picked out Clichy before his left-wing cross found the predatory figure of Carlos Tevez, who bundled it over the line four minutes before the break.
The first half's fearful showing continued when Nasri danced around the ineffective Gabriel Obertan and casually slotted a pass to Silva before he fired a left-footed effort beyond Elliot.
True, even at 2-0 United were arguably still in the game – but they had no chance of getting anything out of this one with such a negative outlook or while they were treating the champions with so much respect.
Yohan Cabaye drilled an effort wide, but even if you want to be charitable and say United had more of a go, one shot on target in 90 minutes indicates the true story.
And the game was over as a contest after 56 minutes when Newcastle failed to clear a corner and Kompany's backheel had the home fans purring.
With more than half-an- hour to play, you couldn't blame any United fans for fearing their team could be on the end of a hiding or a scoreline that could get out of control.
Yaya Toure's bustling no- nonsense run down the right culminated with James Perch's attempted block looping over Elliot with 21 minutes left. And that was that.
City were allowed to down tools for the closing stages and Newcastle didn't even look like they were capable of finding a consolation goal for their brilliant fans.
Unlike their last visit to Manchester when they ruffled the feathers of the champions elect, Newcastle by the end on Saturday looked like a team that had rolled over for City.
United have done well with their transfer policy and it can only bode well in terms of challenging the top 10 next season.
And they need no encouragement to demonstrate just what their rich owners have handed to the previously long- suffering Man City faithful.
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