Newcastle United's social media team picked an odd week to remember the good old days. On Tuesday the club reminded its 2.8 million followers on X that it was 30 years to the day since Kevin Keegan's side beat Manchester United 5-0 at St James' Park. Nobody has had much to cheer about since.
Matthias Jaissle's team have won just one of their last five Premier League games and were booed off after Saturday's home defeat by Aston Villa. They travel to Crystal Palace on Sunday (14:00 BST) hoping to end a run of three defeats in four. Charlotte Robson of the True Faith Newcastle United podcast is blunt about it: "The pressure will seriously be on if they don't get a result at Palace."
A summer of upheaval
Alan Shearer warned months ago that Newcastle should "get ready for a tough season", and the early table backs him up. Eddie Howe stepped down at the end of July after five years and the club's first major domestic trophy since 1955. Anthony Gordon went to Barcelona in a deal worth more than £69m, Sandro Tonali to Tottenham for up to £100m, and Bruno Guimaraes to Arsenal for £75m. Kieran Trippier, 36, left as well.
Newcastle spent about £250m in return, and many of the signings are 21 or under. Two of them, Bazoumana Toure and Aladji Bamba, have yet to start a league game despite being available. Eighteen-year-old Sean Steur impressed against Hull in September but has not played a minute since. Seven games in, Newcastle have eight points from two wins, away at Tottenham and at home to newly promoted Hull. "They went very young and relatively inexperienced," says the Observer's Rory Smith.
Problems at both ends
Jaissle, 38, arrived from Al-Ahli, who were paid £9.5m in compensation after he led them to consecutive Asian Champions League titles. He is unproven in the Premier League, and 79 days into the job he is still putting his own stamp on a team shaped by Howe. Former defender John Anderson says he "seems very set in his ways at this moment in time". Chris Sutton calls the side "chaotic".
The numbers are not kind. Newcastle have not kept a clean sheet at home in their last 16 games in all competitions, the longest run in the club's history. Only Crystal Palace (17) and Ipswich (15) have conceded more than Newcastle's 14 in the league. Against Villa they managed a single shot on target, and it came from defender Sven Botman. When Jaissle wanted a goal late on, he sent centre-back Dan Burn up front.
That tells its own story about the forward line. Nick Woltemade, the club-record signing who followed Alexander Isak, is on loan at Juventus, and Yoane Wissa has struggled for consistency since coming back from injury. "They didn't look like scoring against Villa and that is what really concerns Newcastle fans," says Sutton.
Calm upstairs, questions on the pitch
There is no panic inside the club. CEO David Hopkinson and sporting director Ross Wilson are said to be projecting calm, and Jaissle is expected to be given time. Even so, Robson says supporters are asking more questions: the stated plan was an aggressive, attacking team, and "we are not there yet".
The next fortnight will show how patient the stands are. After Palace come Everton in the Carabao Cup last 16 next Thursday, Everton again in the league on 2 November, and Fulham five days later. Jaissle will not want to reach the international break without a win in six games.
Match facts: Crystal Palace v Newcastle United, Selhurst Park, Sunday 14:00 BST. Newcastle are on eight points from seven Premier League games and lost 4-1 away at Leeds (14 September) and Coventry (12 October). Source: BBC Sport.
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