Newcastle United manager Matthias Jaissle believes £51 million summer signing Matias Fernandez-Pardo is just one goal away from rediscovering his confidence and making a significant impact in the Premier League.
The 21-year-old Belgian forward has yet to score since completing his deadline-day move from Lille last month. His difficult start continued on Monday when he missed several opportunities during Newcastle's 4-1 Premier League defeat to Coventry City.
Fernandez-Pardo has primarily operated as a central striker, although some believe his attributes would be better suited to a wide attacking role.
Despite his struggles in front of goal, Jaissle remains confident that the youngster will soon demonstrate his quality, with Newcastle preparing to host Aston Villa on Saturday.
"Young lads coming into the Premier League for the first time need adaptation time," Jaissle told reporters on Thursday.
The German manager acknowledged that new arrivals often require several months to adjust to the demands of English football but highlighted Fernandez-Pardo's encouraging movement and ability to create scoring opportunities.
"It's just the goal missing right now to give him the confidence back," Jaissle explained.
"He's an amazing player and he has so much potential. We are convinced that it's just a matter of time."
Jaissle also praised the forward's finishing ability in training, describing his performance during Thursday's session as "pure class."
The Newcastle boss reiterated his belief that Fernandez-Pardo will eventually deliver the performances expected of him and receive the rewards for his efforts.
Newcastle's defeat at Coventry marked their second 4-1 loss in three Premier League matches, following another heavy setback against Leeds United last month.
The disappointing results have left the Magpies 11th in the table, raising concerns about their defensive performances and tactical organisation.
However, Jaissle rejected suggestions that Newcastle's system was responsible for their recent struggles, instead pointing to costly individual mistakes.
"Against Coventry, we made too many individual mistakes, you cannot talk about formation or technical approach," he said.
The German manager acknowledged the challenges of working with a relatively inexperienced squad but stressed that his players must adapt quickly to avoid further setbacks.
"Even though we're a young squad, we need to learn fast."
With Aston Villa visiting St James' Park on Saturday, Newcastle will be determined to respond positively, while Fernandez-Pardo will be hoping to finally open his goalscoring account and justify the faith shown in him by his manager.
