The Senegal international made his first appearance since April at St James' Park, having been out of action with a fractured kneecap.
However, the substitute marked his return to action with two goals to rescue a 2-2 draw for the hosts, easing the pressure on under-fire Newcastle manager Alan Pardew in the process.
And Pardew revealed afterwards that he had gone against advice from his medical staff to include Cisse in his squad.
"He shouldn't have played really. My medical staff didn't agree that he should be included," Pardew revealed.
"I think he's trained for five days but myself and [assistant] John [Carver] looked at each other on Thursday and your eye tells you sometimes that the player is fresh and bright."
With Cisse suffering with injury, and Loic Remy and Shola Ameobi both having left the club in the close-season, the responsibility of leading the line this term has fallen on new recruit Emmanuel Riviere.
The former Monaco man only arrived in July and has struggled at times in a Newcastle team yet to win in the top flight this term.
Pardew feels Cisse's return can help alleviate some of the burden on Riviere.
"[Cisse] knows how to carry the jersey and that's where I felt some sympathy for Manu because Riviere has had to carry that shirt and he's not ready to carry that shirt full-time," Pardew continued.
"It's a shirt that is heavy, that number nine shirt. I think he's seen that example from Papiss to make that little movement, that little chance.
"Manu will learn from that and Papiss coming back will give me a chance to rest Manu and [allow] him to understand what it's like to play for a big club like this.
"He's only 24, Riviere, and really and truly we've had too much responsibility on him."
