I don't know about Newcastle's poor performance... It seems to me that on the contrary they showed a good level, considering that this is their first game in the Champions League... Looking at Milan's stats, Newcastle didn't concede a goal and managed to draw away... I think Newcastle played well...
In a game like this most especially in the Champion League group every point is considered vital, Ac Milan created so many countless scoring opportunities from the start of the match to the end. While for Newcastle, it was a heroic point for them, Ac Milan overwhelmed Newcastle it was a disappointing result to me for Milan having had a lot of opportunities to have won the match but could not find a way through Newcastle played like they were underdog and in many ways there were not they were outplayed but not outmatched
well for many of the Newcastle players and Howe himself this was their first taste of champion league football initially Newcastle did not look overawed by the occasion as the played the ball around confidently well,and also attack with numbers it is understandable for Newcastle who was last seen in the champions league last in 2003 and now making a return to play in champions league game if the want to go far than this group stage they must have to show more than the displayed with Milan