Matthias Jaissle blunder costs Newcastle vs Leeds, one player was way out of his depth
Matthias Jaissle's decision to bring Sean Steur on for Nico Gonzalez cost Newcastle against Leeds on Monday night.
The Magpies' impressive early season form came grinding to a halt at Elland Road as they were thrashed 4-1 by Leeds.
Jaissle has been praised for the way his side has adapted to his tactics after a hectic summer, but they looked short on quality and fitness on Monday night.
Alarm bells would have started ringing for the manager and fans alike when summer recruit Gonzalez was forced off with a suspected concussion in the 19th minute.
He decided to replace the Spaniard with fellow new signing Steur, which soon proved to be the wrong decision.
The 18-year-old looked out of his depth in a hostile environment and struggled to hold his own against Leeds' imposing midfielders.
Sean Steur should not have come on for Nico Gonzalez vs Leeds
Steur arrived at St James' Park from Ajax for around £23million in July as the club looked to rebuild their midfield options.
He had only made 26 senior appearances for the Dutch giants across two seasons before moving to Newcastle, with the club signing Gonzalez late in the window to add some much-needed experience to Jaissle's squad.
Jaissle turned to Steur on Monday after Gonzalez's forced substitution, but the Dutchman failed to help Newcastle gain control after a relatively equal first 20 minutes.
He lacked the physicality to compete with the likes of Anton Stach and Ethan Ampadu, winning just two of five attempted duels in the game.
Steur committed the error that led to the Whites going 2-0 up, as his misplaced pass ultimately saw Dominic Calvert-Lewin's header deflect off Jayden Bogle and past Lukas Hornicek.
The 18-year-old completed just one accurate long pass from three attempts, while only making one clearance, interception and block each, as well as losing possession seven times.
Jaissle would almost certainly have been better served bringing on a more physical, experienced midfielder like Joe Willock or Jacob Ramsey to help the Magpies stay in the game.
What has Steur said after Leeds mistake?
Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett has told Football Insider that Dominic Calvert-Lewin deserved a red card for elbowing Sven Botman in the first half, but Newcastle will know they simply weren't good enough regardless of a refereeing mistake.
Steur himself has chosen to front up to the mistake he made that led to the second Whites strike on his Instagram story.
The 18-year-old wrote: "Fans, apologies for the mistake. Thanks for the support and we will be back."
Steur could have the chance to put things right this weekend, with Gonzalez likely still sidelined as Jaissle faces a big selection decision in midfield.