Newcastle United 0-1 Aston Villa: Manzambi Sinks Former Suitors as Jaissle's Nightmare Continues

Former Newcastle United transfer target Johan Manzambi was the match-winner as Aston Villa beat Matthias Jaissle's side 1-0 at a gloomy St. James' Park.

Manzambi, who came very close to joining Newcastle from Freiburg in July before Villa's late intervention turned him towards Birmingham, continued his dream start to Premier League life, this time against the Magpies.

The Swiss player's 36th-minute header put Unai Emery's side ahead and the match finished with that score. Newcastle United, suffering their second consecutive Premier League defeat, were booed by the stands.

Villa were the side to start the match on the front foot. Nicolas Jackson's effort went straight to Lukas Hornicek, while Sven Botman was fortunate to escape a red card for a heavy challenge on the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich striker.

Jackson continued to pose a threat in attack, his placed effort deflecting off Botman and out of play, but it was Manzambi who opened the scoring. Completely unmarked when Joao Gomes cut the ball back into the box from the right, the young star powered a header into the net despite Hornicek's intervention.

It was a huge let-off for Newcastle when Emiliano Buendia's effort came back off the post and hit Hornicek on the back with no Villa player on hand to finish into the empty net, and the half-time whistle was met with grumbles from the St. James' Park stands.

Botman, who had scored a wonderful goal in the 4-1 defeat to Coventry City five days earlier, tried his luck with a similar attempt, but goalkeeper Zion Suzuki managed to tip the ball away. Yoane Wissa's header also missed the target as the hosts searched for an equaliser.

Hornicek stood tall to deny a fierce Ross Barkley shot, while Villa combined their solid defending with sharp counter-attacks. Substitute Ibrahim Mbaye failed to take two clear chances.

In stoppage time, Wissa's shot went wide and Victor Lindelöf threw himself in the way during a big scramble in the box, and Newcastle could not find an equaliser, leaving the pitch without a point.

Manzambi Showed Newcastle What They Missed

Things could have been very different had he signed at St. James' Park, but the Champions League factor drew Manzambi to Villa. The Swiss international has five direct goal contributions, with 3 goals and 2 assists, in the 4 matches he has started for Villa in all competitions.

Manzambi became the fourth player, after Dalian Atkinson (August 1992), Dion Dublin (November 1998) and Danny Ings (August 2021), to contribute to a goal (goal or assist) in each of his first three Premier League starts for Villa.

By contrast, Matias Fernandez-Pardo, signed by Newcastle with high hopes and for a hefty fee, has managed just two shots (one on target) in five Premier League matches this season and is yet to contribute to a goal.