FROM the moment Newcastle United fans clapped their eyes on Papiss Demba Cissé, it was clear their new number nine offers something different.

Summoned from the bench to warm up after Leon Best snagged a medial knee ligament blocking a Stephen Warnock challenge, an over-eager Cisse managed to sprint halfway round a rapturous St James’ Park before Shola Ameobi directed him back to the dug-out amid much mirth from the terraces.

An hour or so later, he’d fully justified that premature lap of honour by scoring on his Newcastle debut. During an hour and a quarter to cherish, Cissé conjured memories of Faustino Asprilla as he chased down the channels for the black-and-white cause.

Some of his movements echoed the predatory instincts of Andy Cole as he hung ominously on the shoulder of Villa’s last man Richard Dunne. But when it came to the fizzing 72nd-minute drive that settled this perilously-close contest in Newcastle’s favour, there was only one man that it bore comparison with.

It is some compliment – but that explosive left-footed shot that whizzed past Shay Given would have made Alan Shearer proud.

Make no mistake, with this near-perfect debut Cissé finds himself standing on the shoulders of black-and-white giants.

He is the first Newcastle number nine since Les Ferdinand to score on his debut – following on from Andy Carroll, Shearer, Cole and Kevin Keegan in the pleasing trend of introducing themselves to the Gallowgate with a goal. It will be a matter for much bar-room discussion in the coming days, but arguably his strike was superior to any of theirs. Well-timed, too, for Newcastle were in danger of surrendering some of the momentum generated by their midweek defeat of Blackburn, when Cissé made his decisive intervention.

It was not that they were being battered by the visiting Villans, who had deservedly cancelled out a predatory Demba Ba strike on the stroke of half-time via Robbie Keane.

But a Newcastle side fielding a makeshift midfield were beginning to look vulnerable to Villa’s occasional raids.

Darren Bent had already missed three clear-cut chances when Cissé showed him how to do it in front of a delirious Gallowgate end.

It was a memorable way to pay off a chunk of the £10m United owner Mike Ashley had been persuaded to part with to prise the Senegal international from Freiburg during the January transfer window.