NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - AUGUST 15: Newcastle players Sean Steur and Malick Thiaw react after the Bayer winning goal during the during the pre-season friendly match between Newcastle United and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at St James' Park on August 15, 2026 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) | Getty Images Matthias Jaissle’s first game in the St James’ Park dugout ended the way his second preseason outing did four days earlier — in defeat. Ibrahim Maza’s 25-yard curler inside the opening minute set the tone, Malick Thiaw’s header dragged Newcastle level before the break, and Victor Boniface’s finish eight minutes from time settled it for Bayer Leverkusen. A second straight loss isn’t the headline Jaissle wanted heading into the final week of preparation, but the performance itself offered more useful information than the scoreline suggests. Mason Miley Looks Ready for a Real Chance The 17-year-old started at right-back alongside his brother Lewis in midfield, and by the time he was withdrawn late in the second half, he’d put together the kind of composed, low-error performance that gets a teenager noticed rather than hidden. With Tino Livramento still working back from injury and Amar Dedić not yet available, right-back is the thinnest spot on Newcastle’s depth chart right now. Miley won’t be first choice once Dedić is eligible, but performances like this one make the argument that Jaissle has a genuine academy option in reserve rather than a pure emergency plan. The Team Is Further Along Than the Back Line Newcastle’s attacking rhythm improved steadily as the first half wore on, and Yoane Wissa was at the center of most of it — combining smoothly with Mason Miley early, forcing a save out of his former Brentford teammate Mark Flekken, then setting up a second-half chance for Nick Woltemade moments after the restart. Anthony Elanga tested Flekken from range and later supplied the corner for Thiaw’s equalizer. That’s an attack generating consistent, varied chances against a Bundesliga side. The problem was what happened at the other end: Maza was allowed 25 unmarked yards for the opener, and Boniface got in behind a stretched back line for the winner. Jaissle’s press is creating attacking opportunities, but it’s also leaving gaps that a sharper opponent than a preseason Leverkusen side would punish more than twice. Wissa Is Turning Into the Swiss Army Knife of This Attack Between the assist-adjacent buildup play, the direct chance he created for Woltemade, and a dangerous counterattack he led personally in the second half, Wissa was Newcastle’s most involved attacker on the day. That versatility matters for a team still figuring out its shape under a new manager — Jaissle now has a forward capable of linking play, running in behind, and creating for others in the same ninety minutes, which gives him options as he continues experimenting with personnel before the season starts for real. What It Means for the Premier League Season Strasbourg visits St James’ Park on Sunday for Newcastle’s final tune-up before the visit of the Premier League champions, and Jaissle has now seen enough to know roughly what he has. The attack is showing signs of life. The defensive coordination isn’t there yet, and two matches remain to close that gap before results start counting. Preseason form rarely predicts the season ahead with any precision, but the pattern across Newcastle’s last two performances — good spells undone by soft moments at the back — is worth watching for one more week before anyone decides whether it’s a September problem or just a preseason one.
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