Sam Allardyce's Christmas of discontent at Newcastle United continued against Wigan Athletic at the JJB Stadium.

For the second successive season a Ryan Taylor free kick proved to be the undoing of Newcastle who were again booed and jeered by their fans come the final whistle.

Taylor grabbed the winner in spectacular fashion just after the hour to continue Wigan's revival under Steve Bruce who has seen his team take eight points from his five matches in charge.

But for Allardyce, who was rumoured to be close to being on his way out prior to a face-saving draw against Arsenal earlier this month followed by wins over Birmingham City and Fulham, the dark days have returned.

Allardyce opted to ring the changes in the wake of the debacle against Derby County. Joey Barton and David Rozehnal were dropped, while Nicky Butt, Obafemi Martins and Claudio Cacapa were all relegated to the bench.

Damien Duff was handed his first start since April after recovering from a broken foot and with Mark Viduka, Alan Smith and James Milner all starting, there was the threat of goals, in particular against another of the Premier League's worst defences.

However, Allardyce played Smith in a holding role in front of the back four, his fourth different position this season since his £6 million summer move from Manchester United. It effectively left Viduka on his own up front and the Australian, who grabbed both of Newcastle's goals against the Rams, found no space.

That was underlined by a chorus of 'attack, attack, attack' from the frustrated massed ranks of Newcastle fans at the half-hour mark. By that stage Newcastle had ventured into the Wigan penalty area on just three occasions, failing to add to that tally by the close of the first half which was greeted by more boos.

Wigan were little better, but they did at least have the one and only chance in the first half, with Paul Scharner hitting a long-range effort that Shay Given safely gathered after it had taken a deflection off Geremi.

There was a greater degree of urgency at the start of the second half and it brought Newcastle a chance in the 52nd minute - albeit their only one of the game - courtesy of an error from Mario Melchiot on his return from a three-match ban. The mistake forced Chris Kirkland, the Wigan goalkeeper, into a hasty clearance that ballooned into the air, and from 22 yards Viduka produced a spectacular overhead kick.

It was an effort that would have struck the top left-hand corner of the net but for the intervention of Titus Bramble, the former Newcastle defender, who cleared off the line.

It proved to be the spark that ignited Wigan. Following Smith's foul on Michael Brown outside the area, Taylor - a right back operating on the left wing - whipped a right-footed shot over the wall and into the top left-hand corner of Given's net.

Taylor's only other goal for Wigan was in February this year, again from a free kick and the winner in a 1-0 victory over Newcastle. For Allardyce, that said it all on another worrying afternoon.