Manzambi haunts Newcastle as Villa win at St James' Park
Aston Villa beat Newcastle United at St James' Park on 17 October, with Johan Manzambi heading the winner.
The 21-year-old Switzerland attacking midfielder struck in the 36th minute. That goal secured Unai Emery's 100th Premier League victory, according to The Guardian.
Manzambi met João Gomes' cross and glanced a header past the goalkeeper after slipping away from Malick Thiaw. It was a smart, quiet run. Then a firm finish.
There was extra sting for the home crowd. Villa hijacked Manzambi's proposed summer move from Freiburg to Newcastle, paying a record fee of £50m plus to bring him to Villa Park. Newcastle manager Matthias Jaissle watched the player his club missed out on decide the match.
Villa needed it. They arrived in the north east with only one league win all season. Newcastle arrived low on confidence too, after a 4-1 defeat at Coventry in their previous match. The hosts have now gone 13 Premier League home games without a clean sheet, equalling a club record set in 1998-99.
The game had bite. Joelinton was booked for a two-footed lunge on Manzambi. Sven Botman also received a yellow card for a two-footed challenge on Nicolas Jackson, which VAR, the video officials who review big decisions, checked but did not upgrade to a red. Premier League chief executive Richard Masters watched from the directors' box.
Manzambi is settling fast. Days earlier he made his competition debut in Villa's 6-0 win over Fenerbahçe and marked his 21st birthday with his first goal for the club, opening the scoring in the 12th minute, according to Aston Villa. He and Jackson shared the first three goals in that European rout.
What makes this stand out is the timing. Villa were still searching for rhythm. A young midfielder, signed from under Newcastle's nose, walked into St James' Park and settled a tight match. For supporters, those are the away days that live long in the memory.
