Newcastle aren't at their best, but let's not call it a crisis: Why the data is telling us to back Matthias Jaissle

Replacing a club legend is never easy, especially when overseeing a major squad rebuild. But despite losing key figures like Bruno Guimarães, Sandro Tonali, Anthony Gordon and Kieran Trippier, Matthias Jaissle has guided Newcastle United to eighth in the Premier League, two points behind fifth-placed Chelsea. For a club that has played Champions League football in two of the last three seasons, expectations remain considerably higher. Newcastle's inconsistent results have raised questions about their progress under Jaissle, but beneath the surface, there are promising signs that the German is laying the bedrock for a new era.