The Magpies midfielder, who spent the second half of last season on loan with Queens Park Rangers, saw a shot saved by home goalkeeper David Yurchenko in Yerevan, and was also booked on a disappointing night for Stephen Kenny's side.

Eduard Spertsyan scored the only goal of the game 16 minutes from time in the UEFA Nations League clash - with the Republic now winless in their last 11 matches in the competition.

Elsewhere in the Nations League, England were beaten by Hungary for the first time in 60 years, losing 1-0 to a controversial Dominik Szoboszlai penalty, but Kieran Trippier was an unused substitute for the Three Lions in Budapest.

That means that Andros Townsend, in May 2016, remains the last player to be capped by England while playing for the Magpies, but that could change on Tuesday night, when Gareth Southgate's men take on Germany in Munich.