Maybe it was no surprise Albion drew a blank on the day their leading goalscorer of recent seasons was sorting out a move away from the club.

Not because they missed Neal Maupay in the 0-0 draw against Newcastle necessarily.

The pattern of play they have employed with great success since Maupay slipped down the pecking order was in evidence again and should have brought them all three points.

No, the fact they failed to score when he was away sorting his future elsewhere can be put down to Sod’s Law.

They produced everything bar one composed, clinical finish, which hasn’t always been Maupay’s forte anyway.

Would he have even got on had he still been available?

After all, Deniz Undav was sent on before him at Old Trafford.

And Undav did not even appear this time as Albion chased a goal, which is perhaps another story in itself.

The question will be, and indeed was asked after the game, about the club signing a replacement as Maupay heads off to Nottingham Forest.

What confuses people sometimes – but smooths the transition – is Albion like to sign the replacement before they lose the player.

Not that Potter likes to refer to a new player being a replacement for anyone.

His argument is that all players are unique with different qualities.

If Undav is not like-for-like in terms of succeeding Maupay, the bits we have seen suggest he is at least similar-for-similar in some aspects.

Yes, it is very early days and a long season lies ahead.

But, with the next attacking cab barely leaving the rank as yet after a goal-laden season in Belgium, where does that leave Maupay?

Surplus to requirements, appears to be the answer, although the golden moments he has given Albion in the Potter era will not and should not be forgotten.

Undav will no doubt get his chance and Albion’s promising start has given him time to settle.

Potter said of the German: “He is pushing. We have got a strong team and a strong starting XI.

“The results have been positive, the performances have been positive so he has to be really patient.

“He has done really well in training, he has mixed really well with the group.

“I think he has shown his quality so I think he just has to keep working.”

Undav’s former Union St-Gilloise colleague Kaoru Mitoma was given a decent chance to shine on Saturday – and he seized it.

He has quickly developed a following judging from a few ‘Mitoma 22’ shirts and what appears a Japanese presence in the stands.

Two Japanese reporters have been at the Amex for matches against Espanyol and Newcastle.

Actually, there was an Albion fan in the West Lower wearing a ’LuaLua 30’ shirt and it is tempting to compare the Japanese international with the Congolese flyer who played for both clubs involved in this match.

If anything, with his direct, upright running at defenders, he is more like a left-sided Will Buckley in style.

He certainly excited and one run which left Kieran Trippier flailing really should have led to a late winner for Pascal Gross, who forced the ball wide.

Mitoma also produced a very intelligent pass which allowed Gross to tee up Joel Veltman for a shot which was eventually scrambled off the line.

That was Toon’s second such escape. Trippier had earlier hacked away Solly March’s shot, which was half-saved by Nick Pope, when most of, but not all, the ball had crossed the line.

Pope made saves all on his own from March and Adam Lallana, who probably should have buried his downward header from March’s precise cross.

March is off to a strong start to the season and this was a decent performance by the hosts, especially in the second half.

Newcastle looked like they might create something on counter attacks but Albion ensured that never really happened.

Robert Sanchez and his defenders had stopped because the whistle had gone for dangerous play by the high-kicking Callum Wilson on the one occasion the Toon star had the ball in the net.

Temperatures topped 30degC but this was a far better game than the 0-0 between these clubs on a similarly hot day two seasons ago.

Just that finish was needed.

Albion: Sanchez; Veltman, Dunk, Webster; March (Lamptey 75), Gross, Mac Allister, Caicedo, Trossard (Mitoma 75,); Lallana (Mwepu 65);Welbeck. Subs not used: Steele, Colwill, Alzate, Sarmiento, Undav, Van Hecke Booked: Mac Allister, March.

Newcastle: Pope; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Willock (Longstaff 76), Guimaraes, Joelinton; Almiron, Wilson (Wood 87), Saint-Maximin (Murphy 75). Subs not used: Dubravka, Dummett, Lascelles, Ritchie, Manquillo, Anderson Booked: Saint-Maximin, Joelinton, Schar Referee: Graham Scott.