Crystal Palace 2-1 Newcastle United: Jean Philippe-Mateta piled the misery on Newcastle with a late brace at Selhurst Park.
The 29-year-old was a stoppage-time substitute after Jean-Philippe Mateta put Palace in front from the penalty spot.
But moments after the full-time whistle, Wissa swapped shirts with the Crystal Palace match-winner. Mateta was then captured celebrating Palace’s win while wearing Wissa’s Newcastle No. 9 shirt by the Sky Sports cameras.
‘We beat a great team’ - Mateta
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Mateta said: "We wanted that win and we are very happy to have won - at home as well.
"It means a lot that we beat a great team. We have Europe as well. It gives us a lot of energy and we have a big squad as well. I hope we will win in the next game as well."
While a common occurrence after matches, Newcastle supporters took to social media to voice their dissatisfaction with Wissa swapping shirts with the opposition so soon after another disappointing defeat.
Wissa and Mateta are former teammates at Châteauroux in France, having progressed through the academy between 2014 and 2016.
It’s hard to begrudge a player swapping shirts with a former teammate, but fan anger on this occasion is indicative of larger frustrations towards Newcastle’s results and Wissa’s lack of impact, or ability to read the room.
The DR Congo international has struggled since his £55million arrival from Brentford on deadline day. After being ruled out for three months due to a knee injury after his arrival.
After initially impressing with goals against Fulham, Burnley and PSV Eindhoven, Wissa has struggled for both goals and starts since. The player who was signed for big money to help soften the blow of losing Alexander Isak now finds himself as Newcastle’s fourth choice striker behind Anthony Gordon, Nick Woltemade and Sunday’s goalscorer William Osula.
Wissa has been limited to just 17 minutes of Premier League football since his previous start for Newcastle in a 3-2 defeat against Brentford over two months ago.
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Eddie Howe defends team selection v Crystal Palace
After the defeat at Crystal Palace, Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe was asked about why £119million worth of striker signings in Nick Woltemade and Wissa were left on the bench while Osula was handed only his second-ever Premier League start for the club.
“I don't pick the team based on transfer fees, I have to pick the team based on what I see,” Howe explained. “I thought Wil Osula was training well, I think he deserved to start [v Crystal Palace], I thought he played well.
“I thought he was, again, a real positive coming out of the game, I thought he took his goal well. He's got the physical attributes, the determination to do really well.
“He's improving, I think week-in, week-out, so I was delighted with his performance.”
Howe added: “I understand there's anger and frustration [from supporters], I'm not blind to anything. I think they can see the team is trying, I don't think there's a lack of effort. But obviously, we're not performing as we want to perform.”
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