OFFICIAL BREAKTHROUGH: ALEX MURPHY ENTERS FIRST-TEAM ROTATION AS NEWCASTLE DEFENSIVE INJURY CRISIS DEEPENS
Eddie Howe turns to Irish prospect Alex Murphy as injuries to Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall rock Newcastle’s festive defence.
Lately, Alex Murphy's been getting more time with Newcastle United's first team. Good for him, no matter how he got the chance.
Right now, Newcastle United is dealing with a lot of injuries, especially in defence. But Eddie Howe and the team are doing their best to get through it.
Tino Livramento is out for a while, and Lewis Hall hasn't been able to stay fit. This gave Lewis Miley a chance to play at right-back. Also, Alex Murphy played some minutes mid-week.
He might play more now through the busy holiday games. His rise has had a good effect on other academy players, too.
Alex Murphy deserves this opportunity.
Newcastle United youth coach Adam Lawrence told the Shields Gazette that Murphy's recent appearance is both good and bad for the club.
He said that people at the club know Alex much better than he does. But he has watched Alex play for the Under-21s. He has potential. He is making the most of situations.
He continued to state that with Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento injured, those aren’t ideal situations to want. Because those injuries allowed for academy players to step up. Alex played the last part of the game against Fulham, which was a big plus.
You get ready for that moment, and then when it happens. It is all about being prepared to handle the moment and make a good impression. It was nice to see Alex get a moment. It was a good moment for him.”
It looks like Murphy is now part of Newcastle's future strategies. Eddie Howe has praised the young defender for how well he's played under pressure.
Sean Neave and Leo Shahar are up next.
Murphy isn't the only one to step up recently. Leo Shahar and Sean Neave didn't play against Fulham last week. They were in the Carabao Cup team.
Lawrence is happy to see them move up, even if it means he can't use them for the Under-21s.
He said that “Having Leo and Sean with us today makes our team stronger, and it’s too bad they are missing because they would enjoy those types of games. Our goal is to get players into the first team and into the games that they have experience in today.
It’s good for our players to see that and to understand their opportunity. But also that it’s hard to be at that level. Leo and Sean have to work hard to get to that stage. Also, there, trying to find their way, some will hopefully get to that level.
When they see players getting better, they should feel that it is an inspiration.”
Lawrence also talked about Lewis Miley, who is also pushing the younger players at Newcastle. He is showing them that they can make it to the first team.
EDDIE HOWE CONFIRMS NEWCASTLE LINEUP SHIFTS ARE PART OF A MAJOR FUTURE STRATEGY
Eddie Howe confirms he is picking Newcastle lineups with next season in mind, trialling players like Ramsey and Woltemade early.
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe isn’t pretending he’s already thinking about next season. People have been saying Kieran Trippier is close to triggering a payment if he plays more games, so that might influence whether he features again before the season ends. But Howe brushed that off and said he’s making his decisions purely for football reasons.
Talking to reporters at the City Ground about why Anthony Gordon was missing, Howe admitted he’s picking his lineup with the future in mind. Later, in his press conference, he went into more detail about focusing on what comes next at St James’ Park.
"We’re definitely looking ahead," Howe said. "You can see it in some of the choices I’m making with the team. I want to get a look at some players and see how they might grow into the squad."
One of those players is Jacob Ramsey, who came off the bench, set up Harvey Barnes with a great pass, and really changed the game. "I thought Jacob Ramsey was brilliant when he came on against Forest. He really made a difference, and so did Harvey. It’s good to see players taking their chances," Howe said.
He added, "We have to be thinking about the future now and what the team’s going to look like next year. That’s our responsibility at this point."
Before the match, Howe surprised a lot of fans by starting Lewis Hall at right-back, Nick Woltemade in midfield, and pushing Joelinton further forward than usual. Again, Howe explained he wants to see what players can do in different positions.
"It wasn’t some huge change from Brighton; we kept the same shape," Howe said. "But for Nick, this was only one of a few times he’s started in that role for us. He played alongside Will, and they haven’t had much time together either.
"There were positives for Nick, but he wasn’t involved as much as we wanted in the first half. We still need to see his best on the ball. In the second half, though, I thought we got better as a team. We attacked more and looked like a real threat as the match wore on."
MAGPIES EYE £1M BARGAIN TIAGO GABRIEL TO SOLVE GROWING DEFENSIVE INJURY CRISIS
Newcastle are leading the race against Juventus for Tiago Gabriel, the 21-year-old Serie A defensive sensation.
Newcastle United appear to be keeping an eye on Lecce’s young defender Tiago Gabriel as they consider potential options for the summer transfer window.
With Fabian Schar’s contract due to expire at the end of June, the Magpies are preparing for the possibility of his departure. Although an extension is still on the table, Schar has been sidelined since early January because of an ankle injury and doesn't seem close to making a comeback.
At 21, Gabriel has featured 36 times across all competitions this season for Lecce, who are currently four points clear of the Serie A relegation zone. Newcastle’s recruitment team is among those following his development, seemingly interested in exploring a move once the transfer window opens.
Back in December, reports surfaced that both West Ham and Juventus were also tracking Gabriel’s progress. The young defender, who came through Sporting CP’s academy, has had a strong season and will enter the final year of his contract this summer.
Gabriel transferred to Lecce last January for slightly over £1 million, moving from Portuguese club Estrela Amadora. Should he leave this summer, a significantly higher fee might be expected, reflecting his rise in form.
Before joining Estrela Amadora, Gabriel had been part of Setúbal's academy after leaving Sporting in 2020. His performances have earned him regular appearances for Portugal’s Under-21 side, and senior international opportunities may not be far off.
A switch to the Premier League could potentially boost his profile substantially, but he will likely weigh his options with some care.
According to O Jogo, Newcastle continue to monitor his situation keenly as interest around the defender grows.
Regarding Fabian Schar’s future, things remain uncertain even with just weeks left on his current deal. While Kieran Trippier has been publicly confirmed to be leaving upon contract expiration, no similar announcement has come for Schar.
Last week, Howe commented on the defender’s status, noting that no definitive decision has been made yet. He emphasised Schar’s value to the team, pointing out his unique role as a ball-playing defender and his versatility in various defensive setups.
Schar’s influence on the pitch and experience are clearly appreciated, and the club hopes he can regain full fitness before the season concludes. As for any new contract talks, Howe suggested it’s a matter of waiting to see how things unfold.
