Why Matthias Jaissle's risk-and-reward football isn't working - and Newcastle are turning on the manager

It was the low point in a huge summer for Newcastle United and a moment which always felt consequential. Johan Manzambi rejected a move to St James' Park in favour of Aston Villa, and the Magpies were haunted by that failure on Saturday.

The Swiss midfielder scored the winning goal on another difficult and damaging evening for Matthias Jaissle, but the upshot was much more than that. He completely ran the show, drifting into spaces left very deliberately by tactics becoming increasingly controversial among Newcastle fans, who greeted both the half-time and full-time whistles with a chorus of boos.

In many ways, losing out on Manzambi could be seen as the catalyst for the issues Newcastle are currently facing. Perhaps that is hyperbole, but he was their top target to reinvent a midfield which would be gutted by the departures of both Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes and, crucially, a player former manager Eddie Howe wanted before resigning at the end of July.

His goal was a first-half header, but it was patently clear throughout with his overall play that his profile would have elevated Newcastle, particularly as Jaissle deploys a No. 10 despite not having a specialist in his squad.

Rebuilding the squad with a more youthful outlook was always the plan for sporting director Ross Wilson. But Manzambi felt like the perfect balance; while only 21, he helped Freiburg to the Europa League final, where they were beaten by Aston Villa and then became the breakout star at the World Cup.

He was ready to make an instant impact in the Premier League. Newcastle spent north of £200m on eight new players, four of whom were on the bench.

Amar Dedic has recently been injured, Sean Steur has impressed but, at 18, is not able to play every minute, while Aladji Bamba has barely featured at all. Jaissle does not seem yet convinced by him or Bazoumana Toure, a £50m winger.

Only Toure made it onto the pitch in this game. The balance in the squad is not quite right, and that uncertainty is causing problems.

After the game, Jaissle reinforced that such a big summer of change in the dugout and within the squad was always going to result in teething issues at the start of the season. Having gone unbeaten in their opening three Premier League games, Newcastle have suffered defeat in three of their last four.