Newcastle United left Bramall Lane with a rather fortuitous pre-season friendly 2-2 draw after Steve McClaren's men struggled to find their fluidity against a dogged and busy Sheffield United side. With the teams meeting up for Chris Morgan's Bramall Lane testimonial, Georginio Wijnaldum capitalised on a defensive mistake by the home side to register his second goal in as many games since signing for the Magpies, but Marc McNulty equalised not long after the break. However, Siem de Jong came off the bench and tapped in from a corner to seemingly give Newcastle the victory, only for Kieron Freeman to smash in a screamer of an equaliser for the Blades. Although the Magpies started well, their fluidity disappeared as the game wore on - and Steve McClaren will need to think long and hard about how he is going to sort out his side's defensive woes if Chancel Mbemba's signing is delayed even longer than Thursday, when Newcastle will have their hearing with the FA for a work visa. John Carver was able to observe the new Newcastle United as the ex-Magpies boss watched on from the stands at Bramall Lane, the home of Sheffield United, another of his former clubs. Alan Pardew's former assistant was watching the exact same team (largely) that he managed last season, but they are attempting to implement a completely different style, philosophy and identity to how they played under Carver, even if they failed to show it at times. With Fabricio Coloccini still absent through injury - raising suspicions over his future, with rumours of the Newcastle skipper joining up with his former boss Alan Pardew at Crystal Palace continuing to grow - Daryl Janmaat was handed the captain's armband for this one. Aleksandar Mitrovic was not even in the matchday squad for the Magpies, having yet to train for long with his new teammates, and that meant Papiss Cisse started up front once more. Of the 12,002 fans at Bramall Lane, more than 2,000 of them were passionate travelling Geordies - an incredible sixth of all the fans in the stadium were Newcastle supporters. And they saw Newcastle start the game well, with the Magpies getting forward inside the first 90 seconds, when Janmaat fed Wijnaldum, who laid back for Cisse. The curling effort from the Senegalese striker rattled the post from outside the area and he was so unlucky not to break the deadlock. And the first chance for Sheffield United came after just four minutes, when Jamie Murphy attacked down the right, crossed into the box and, after a scramble, the ball was eventually spooned over from eight yards by Martyn Woolford. Another impressive attack, this time from Ayoze Perez, also brought a chance for Wijnaldum after eight minutes in an electrifying start to the game, but his curling effort from the edge of the area went just past the wrong side of the right-hand post. McNulty then stepped up to hit a free-kick from the edge of the area into the wall, only for two other chances to follow in quick succession, both of which the home side squandered. Against Premier League opposition, Newcastle could easily have been three down by the half-hour mark. Tim Krul was then called into action in the 36th minute as he put out a strong hand to magnificently deny Adams, whose 22-yard effort had originally wrong-footed the Dutchman in the Magpies goal. In fact, Newcastle's goal came largely against the run of play in the 40th minute, as an awful backpass from Sheffield Utd captain Jay McEveley was pounced upon by Cisse, who was only denied a goal by the quick footwork of George Long who rushed off his line to block. However, Long's block diverted the ball into the path of Wijnaldum, who calmly passed home a left-footed effort into an open goal from 12 yards out. Awful for Sheffield Utd, but the sort of fortune the visitors needed. Rolando Aarons for Perez was the only change for the Magpies at the break, as McClaren looked for some continuity in his line-up. Unfortunately for him, Newcastle's defence appeared to come out for the second-half asleep, with a threaded through-ball from Adams in behind the NUFC back four allowing McNulty to slot between the legs of a helpless Krul. The equaliser was thoroughly deserved for the home side, but it brought to light once again how frail Newcastle's defence has been in pre-season. The home side were then denied a penalty when Mike Williamson made a strong challenge on substitute Stefan Scougall in the box, before moments later Matt Done's shot was headed clear by the covering Steven Taylor as the Magpies were under the kosh for large periods. Paul Simpson came to the front of the technical dugout as the second-half progressed, with Newcastle's coaching staff clearly frustrated by the Magpies' inability to hold on to the ball after the break. There was no doubting the home side were the better team for large parts, and the Magpies simply could not get into the game. It took until the 79th minute, when substitute De Jong - who replaced Wijnaldum - smashed home from six yards after a corner found its way into the home side's box, for Newcastle to find another goal. Yet that was not to be the end of it, as full-back Freeman lashed home an unstoppable effort from 25 yards to level things up for the Blades. It was no less than they deserved, but it once again showed how easily Newcastle's defence could be breached - even if was via a screamer. McClaren knows the defence is still the problem - but will he be able to get it sorted before the Premier League campaign begins in two weeks' time? Sheffield United: Long, Freeman, Collins (Morgan 86), McEveley K Wallace 84), McFadzean, Woolford (Campbell-Ryce 46) Basham (J Wallace 75), Baxter (Reed 70), Murphy (Scougall 58), McNulty (DOne 60), Adams (Sammon 60) Subs not used: Willis, Di Girolamo, Calvert-Lewin Goal: McNulty (49), Freeman (86)Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): Krul; Janmaat, Williamson, Taylor (Lascelles 70), Haidara; Anita (Obertan 59), Colback; Sissoko (Abeid 79), Wijnaldum (De Jong 73), Perez (Aarons 46); Cisse (Armstrong 80) Subs not used: Darlow, Satka, Gouffran Goals: Wijnaldum (40), De Jong (79) Attendance: 12,002 For all the latest NUFC News, Views and Transfers make sure to follow whatculture.com/NUFC on Twitter and Facebook.