And it brought a positive start to the game as Newcastle started on the front foot against a Sheffield side looking for their first win of the season.
An effort from Callum Wilson on six minutes saw his effort saved by Fotheringham.
On the 9th minute however, Howe was forced to make an early substitution when Harvey Barnes went down with what appeared to be a leg injury. He was replaced by Anthony Gordon.
On 12 minutes a fine cross by McAtee saw the ball drop to Thomas, but the Blades fullback failed to make the most of the opportunity handed to him as he tamely knocked the ball wide of the six-yard box and out for a goal kick.
Newcastle once again seemed to be lacking the fluidity in midfield that served then so well last season, with passes going astray as the Blades stretched the game left and right, with Almiron and Anderson struggling to get into the game.
However, on 21 minutes Newcastle got the breakthrough when Anthony Gordon did well to keep the ball in play on the byline before pulling the ball back to Sean Longstaff, who rolled the ball in from 9 yards past the helpless Fotheringham.
Three minutes later and it could have been two as Newcastle failed to exploit a mistake by Fotheringham whose clearance went straight to Gordon, but his Crossfield ball was too long for Almiron, and it rolled out for a goal kick.
On 27 minutes Ahmedhodžić was booked for a nasty challenge on Gordon and from the resulting free kick. Callum Wilson just failed to get a touch and the ball went straight out for a corner.
Gordon was certainly looking the liveliest of Newcastle’s front players as he continued to run at the Sheffield defenders, and he won a corner with a fine run that Newcastle worked well as Fotheringham was forced to tap a deflected shot over his cross bar from neat short corner play by Trippier.
Trippier opted to send the follow up corner in as a deeper in-swinger and it was met by a diving Dan Burn who nestled the ball into the bottom corner to make it 2:0
On 33 minutes a terrible tackle by Jack Robinson on Sean Longstaff took man and ball and the Sheffield player was rightly booked
And it proved costly for the Blades when Trippier's free kick was met by Sven Botman whose well placed header dropped into the far corner for 3:0.
In the celebration that followed, Elliott Anderson was struck by a bottle thrown from the stands but thankfully did not suffer any ill effects.
Gordon was then denied a penalty when he was tripped in the area by Bogle, but nothing was given, and Sheffield survived.
Newcastle were now dominant and Sheffield Utd had lost all their shape as well as their discipline and following another fine run, Gordon played in Wilson whose effort was smothered by Fotheringham with the resulting corner came to nothing as Gordon shot went high and wide into the stands.
In the final minutes of the first half Gordon again threatened with yet another fine run and his resulting shot was tipped over the bar for a corner.
Benny Traore replaced Bogle at the start of the second half as Heckingbottom tried to inject something different into his team, reshuffling his back four and hoping for some something positive emerging from his front men.
Newcastle should have had a free kick on 48 minutes when Longstaff tried to play a one two on the edge of the box only to be brought down, however referee Stuart Atwell waved play on.
Sven Botman was in the wars on 53 minutes when he went down heavily in an aerial challenge and seemed to be struggling but he was soon back on his feet to no ill effect.
On 55 minutes some brilliant football saw Bruno slide a pass towards the advancing Fabien Schar who slipped a pass through to Trippier. His perfectly flighted cross landed on the head of Callum Wilson who had the simplest of chances to nod it in from 4 yards to make it 4. And in doing so Newcastle created a bit of history as they had never previously scored four goals in a game at Bramall Lane.
On 60 minutes Newcastle thought they has a fifth when Gordon fired in an effort from 12 yards only for his shot to be parried by Fotheringham into the path of Almiron whose slotted it into the net, however it was ruled out for offside. One minute later and it was five however when the majestic Gordon cut in from the left and fired in a right foot shot that flew across the despairing Fotheringham and into the bottom corner.
67 minutes and it was six for Newcastle as Bruno Guimarães threaded another trademark slide rule pass that split the Sheffield defence and Almiron got his goal, slotting it past the keeper with ease.
Howe then rang the changes bringing on Livramento, Tonali and Isak for Trippier, Almiron and Wilson but that didn’t stop the onslaught as Bruno got the goal that his performance deserved on 73 minutes, when he latched on to a misguided shot from Longstaff and nestled the ball into the top corner from 10 yards.
Anderson then went close on 79 minutes when his header met a corner from Tonali only to be tipped over the bar by a stretching Fotheringham.
Howe introduced Lewis Hall on 80 minutes replacing Guimarães who left the field to exalted applause from the 4000 travelling supporters behind Fotheringham’s goal.
As the last five minutes of the game approached the play was down to walking pace as Newcastle sat back and Sheffield pondered on where it all went wrong; conceding seven.
But they didn’t have long to ponder when on 87 minutes Alexander Isak piled on the misery when he latched on to a poor header and broke clear to slot the coolest of efforts into Fotheringham’s goal with the keeper left on his backside.
8:0. Eight different scorers and a record away win for the Magpies.
Oh; and yes. Another clean sheet!