Jacob Murphy may have just saved his Newcastle future with display in win vs Brighton
Jacob Murphy reminded everybody what he is capable of as Newcastle United beat Brighton 3-1 on Saturday afternoon.
The winger has faced his fair share of criticism at St James’ Park this season, with fans frustrated that he has often been unable to replicate the levels that he hit last season.
The 31-year-old notched a career-best 20 Premier League goal involvements to help the Magpies to Champions League qualification, but it has been a totally different story for both him and the team this term.
Eddie Howe has continued to show faith in Murphy despite some sub-par displays, and that was rewarded against Brighton, as the wideman terrorised the visitors throughout his 68 minutes of action.
Newcastle ended their four-game losing run in the league with that victory, and it could potentially have a transformative effect on Murphy’s future.
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VISIT THE NEWCASTLE MATCH HUBJacob Murphy a driving force behind Newcastle victory
Murphy produced an excellent delivery for Will Osula to open the scoring with a header on Saturday afternoon, but that was far from the full extent of the impact that he made.
The former Norwich man was a constant thorn in the side of the Brighton defence, and his energy was vital in helping Howe’s men set a press that really rattled their visitors in the early stages.
| Stats | Murphy Totals |
| Minutes | 68 |
| Accurate Passes | 6/6 (100%) |
| Chances Created | 3 |
| Successful Dribbles | 1/1 (100%) |
| Defensive Contributions | 6 |
| Duels Won | 3/4 (75%) |
Murphy gave Brighton left-back Ferdi Kadioglu a torrid time during his 68 minutes, as he created three chances and also completed 100 per cent of his attempted dribbles.
The forward was also strong in the duels, as he came out on top in 75 per cent of his battles during the game, something which he hasn’t always been renowned for.
It was the kind of performance that underlined exactly why he is still seen as a key player by Howe and the coaching staff, and it could not have come at a better time with the summer on the horizon.
Murphy’s future would perhaps have been called into question as part of the attacking changes in the upcoming window, but now he has surely done enough to save himself at St James’.
How does Eddie Howe view Murphy’s future?
Football Insider revealed last month that Howe is “adamant” that he wants Murphy as part of his squad for next season, despite the fact that he will enter the final year of his contract this summer.
That contract situation is causing an element of concern behind the scenes on Tyneside, but Howe is clear that he does not want the veteran to be sold ahead of next season.
The club hierarchy may be better served in a business sense by cashing in on Murphy while they have the chance, but Howe is in the business of trying to win games, and he sees him as a crucial figure for next term.
With that in mind, Murphy has surely already secured his future for another year at least, but a decision on his contract will need to be made sooner rather than later.
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