RALPH Hasenhuttl insisted the fact Newcastle United’s match-winners were January signings made after this clash was controversially postponed “doesn’t interest me today”.

The tie was due to be played on January 2, but was postponed after a successful request from the Magpies – who were missing several players through injury.

They then spent big in the winter transfer window, bringing in five new players with the funds of the Saudi-backed consortium which purchased the club this season.

Hasenhuttl was vocal at the time about the need for clarity in postponing games, and even suggested that players signed after the initial date of a postponed match should not be eligible to play once rearranged.

Those new signings came back to haunt him, with goals from Chris Wood and Bruno Guimaraes – while fellow arrivals Matt Targett and Dan Burn contributed in the build-up, during the 2-1 comeback win.

“It doesn’t interest me today, to be honest,” the Austrian insisted, when asked if this was a source of frustration for him.

He continued: “We had 20 minutes in the second-half where I was not happy with what we were doing, we were confused after the second goal was conceded.

“But I have also seen 16 shots on goal, 11 inside the box, so this must be for more than one goal. We made 68 per cent possession against a deep defending line.

“I think we tried a lot, and the chances have been there. But the difference from the successful games in the past is that we don’t make these chances, we don’t score the goals we need.

“After the equaliser in the first-half, we had a big one with Che (Adams).

“Hit the crossbar, a few inches are missing and this is the second goal, we go in with a different mood then I think.”

Saints will have a chance to make amends when they host struggling Watford on Sunday, March 13.