Jacob Murphy’s return from injury has come at the perfect time, handing Eddie Howe another attacking option and an injection of energy into a tiring front line.
He wasn’t credited with the goal in Tuesday’s night’s sensational 3-1 win over Aston Villa, but a trend is starting to emerge – when Jacob Murphy starts, Newcastle United win games!
I did a little bit of digging and noticed the following results in the five games Murphy has been started this season:
- Aston Villa 1-3 Newcastle
- Fulham 0-2 Newcastle
- Newcastle 4-0 Crystal Palace
- Newcastle 1-0 Man City
- AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle
Unbeaten, huge wins over Aston Villa and Man City, a 4-0 battering of Palace, vital cup win at Fulham and a solid point at the San Siro. There were signs of his influence last season, too, as the table below shows:
But that’s not all, as his goal contributions are equally impressive. In just 208 minutes of Premier League football all season, he’s managed four assists and a goal, along with one assist in 87 minutes of Champions League action.
His work rate and positivity (on and off the pitch!) have received plenty of praise, but they are really impressive number, highlighting how his output has improved.
Murphy may never be a world beater or the long-term answer down our right wing, yet he’s another Eddie Howe success story who has made an immediate impact on his return from injury this month.
