On 4 July 2012, it was reported that Newcastle had blocked an offer from the Senegalese Football Federation for Cissé to play for Senegal at 2012 Summer Olympics in London. The reason behind the decision was that Newcastle wanted their key striker fit for a tough season ahead, playing European football. Cissé scored his first goal in the 2012–13 season with a header in the League Cup against Manchester United. He scored Newcastle's third goal in their Europa League defeat of Bordeaux on 4 October 2012, Newcastle's 100th match in European competition. He scored his first Premier League goal of the season in a 2–1 win over West Bromwich Albion on 28 October 2012, as a shot taken by Sammy Ameobi deflected off Cissé and into the net. The striker's scoring was scarce throughout the opening four months of the season, only scoring his second league goal of the season on 28 November, a 2–1 away defeat to Stoke City.