Manzambi haunts Newcastle as Villa snatch 1-0 win at St James' Park
Johan Manzambi scored the goal that beat the club he turned down, giving Aston Villa a 1-0 win at Newcastle.
The game was played at St James' Park on Saturday, October 17, 2026, and settled by a single first-half strike. Villa extended their unbeaten run to five games with the victory, according to BBC Sport.
The winner came in the 36th minute. Joao Gomes crossed from the right and Manzambi met it with a header from eight yards out. It was his third goal for Villa, as reported by BBC Sport.
There was an edge to it. Manzambi had looked set to join Newcastle in the summer before choosing Villa instead. He arrived in a club-record deal worth just over £50m.
Villa came north in good shape. They had beaten Fenerbahce 6-0 days earlier to record the club's biggest-ever European victory, according to Aston Villa. Manzambi had also scored after coming on at half-time for Switzerland in a 3-0 UEFA Nations League win earlier in the month.
The result ended a long wait on Tyneside. Newcastle had gone unbeaten in their previous 17 home league games against Villa, with 11 wins and six draws. They had won the last four of those by a combined 13-1.
What makes this stand out is the neatness of it. A 21-year-old midfielder, three days past his birthday, returns to the ground he could have called home and decides the match. For Villa fans, this will feel like value for money already.
