Eddie Howe made two enforced changes from Wednesdays cup win against Manchester City when Callum Wilson and Sven Botman were ruled out through injury; being replaced by Alexander Isak and Jamaal Lascelles.
But it was Burnley who got off to the brighter start with Luca Koleosho going close with a fine run and shot that slipped across the face of Pope’s goal.
And it was Koleosho again on for minutes as he dispossessed a nervous looking Dan Burn before squaring the ball to Zeki Amdoun whose effort was blocked by Nick Pope.
This new found “slow out of the blocks” Newcastle was starting to frustrate sections of the crowd as they barely got out of second gear as Burnley’s possess and passing game was making the visitors look the most likely to score but all that changed on 14 minutes when Kieran Trippier chased down and dispossessed Aaron Ramsey before playing the ball off to Miguel Almiron. The Paraguayan moved forward, took aim, and fired an unstoppable shot past Trafford and nestled into his far corner.
And from that moment there was no looking back as Newcastle took hold as Burnley flattered without troubling Pope’s goal. Elliott Anderson had two good efforts to put Utd further ahead, but he was thwarted by Trafford; as were Trippier and Longstaff.
It looked like the toon army were going to have to settle for a tense final twenty minutes until that is, the ever resourceful and energetic Anthony Gordon was tripped in the box and Isak dispatched the resulting penalty.
Burnley went close late on when Pope was forced to tip an effort from Al-Dakhil over his own crossbar.
Joelinton replaced Anderson on 64 minutes only to depart back down the tunnel on 68 holding his hamstring and looks extremely doubtful for the visit on PSG on Wednesday night.
Speaking after the game Eddie Howe said: "It was a tough game - Burnley are a really interesting team. Vincent (Kompany) has done a great job. They play a very dangerous style and if you aren’t perfect with your press, they can hurt you. But we deserved to win.
"Maybe a shaky start in the first ten minutes when they gave us problems, but we recovered really well, and from maybe the tenth minute onwards, we looked comfortable - but I would have liked us to be a bit more clinical."
"We didn't want to change too much - though we still moved (Fabian) Schar. Height is a big thing for us from set plays at both ends of the pitch and Jamaal's (Lascelles) leadership is key as well. I felt he deserved it after his great performance on Wednesday."
On Botman he confirmed that he is suffering with a knee problem that's serious enough to keep him out until the international break. “We hope that after that he'll be close to being fit."
On Wilson, Howe said: "Callum has a very minor hamstring problem.... whether we see him about before the international break, I don't know. I hope we do, but there's no guarantee."
And on Joelinton Howe confirmed what everyone thought: "It looks like a hamstring problem. It doesn't look serious but was enough for Joe, who never complains of anything, to go down and come off."
Vincent Company meanwhile was very philosophical about his team’s performance “At the moment it’s not happening but it’s important to retain the belief.
"Newcastle are a top side but we stayed in the game for long periods, and we had our moments. That’s important. No one said it would be easy. It’s supposed to be tough; it's not supposed to be easy, going to St James' Park.
"But we started well, stayed in the game and then probably made a mistake that put the game a bit away from us. I can't fault the team for the performance.
"I think there are plenty of managers who have come here, especially with promoted teams, who have said to win games here, to get a result, you need to have a little bit of luck on your side and to take your key moments, and I feel we were exactly the opposite there.
"We knew that (pressing) was their strength, so it’s a moment to create chances. In the first half, the first 10 to 15 minutes, it’s in those moments we created chances and even in the second half.
"But the game happened with the bits in between, the mistake, the penalty and Newcastle are a top side, they showed it’s a really tough place to come to. From our perspective, we were in the game and that’s important."