Last weekend's home loss to Aston Villa, which was greeted by a chorus of boos from the stands at the final whistle, means Newcastle head into Sunday's game at struggling Crystal Palace looking to end a run of three defeats in four games.

That sequence includes back-to-back 4-1 away defeats at Leeds United on 14 September and Coventry City on 12 October.

Alan Shearer predicted it three months ago.

"Speaking purely as a fan, I think we have to get ready for a tough season and some very challenging times ahead," the Newcastle legend told BBC Sport after Eddie Howe stepped down at the end of July.

Newcastle had already sold England forward Anthony Gordon to Barcelona in a deal worth more than £69m and midfielder Sandro Tonali to Tottenham in a deal worth up to £100m.

"You cannot keep on selling your best players and then hope to be in contention at the top of the table," added Newcastle's all-time leading goalscorer.

One week after Shearer's words, Bruno Guimaraes joined Arsenal for £75m.

Seven games into the Premier League season, Shearer's gloomy prediction is so far proving correct, with Newcastle on eight points after winning just two top-flight games, away at Tottenham and at home to newly promoted Hull City.

Newcastle paid Al-Ahli £9.5m in compensation to get Matthias Jaissle after he had led the Saudi club to consecutive Asian Champions League crowns.

Expectations were high when the former Red Bull Salzburg boss arrived on Tyneside shortly before the start of the season with a strong record of success at his previous clubs in Saudi Arabia and Austria.

Yet Jaissle, 38, is very much unproven in the Premier League.

Seventy-nine days into his reign, it is fair to say he is still trying to put his own stamp on the team after Howe's long tenure.

There is certainly no panic inside the club right now, with David Hopkinson, the CEO, and Ross Wilson, the sporting director, both applying an air of calm.

But for how much longer?

It has by no means been a terrible start by Jaissle, who is expected to be given time to get it right. That said, fans want to see an improvement in performances - starting on Sunday.