Newcastle United ended their tour of Japan with a very worrying defeat, but Trevan Sanusi’s performance was cause for optimism.
The Magpies were beaten 2-0 by Yokohama F Marinos on Saturday, with Eddie Howe‘s side suffering their first pre-season defeat after three consecutive wins.
There were some very concerning performances from Newcastle United, as the players wore the new Newcastle third kit produced by Adidas.
There were multiple 4s and 5s in our Newcastle player ratings, after what was a frustrating 90 minutes in Tokyo.
However, there were some Toon players who can be happy with their displays. Bruno Guimaraes was very good in the first half as he captained the side, while Lloyd Kelly was impressive on his Newcastle United debut.
Trevan Sanusi impresses as Newcastle lose 2-0 to Yokohama F Marinos
But the real headlines belong to Trevan Sanusi, who came on at half time at the Japan National Stadium.
The 17-year-old is earning rave reviews this summer, with Eddie Howe admitting that he is very excited by Sanusi.
And that excitement will only have intensified after watching the teenager against Yokohama.
He played with real confidence and bravery on Saturday, aiming to penetrate a Yokohama defence that dealt with the threat of Miguel Almiron and Harvey Barnes with ease.
But they struggled to get to grips with Sanusi, whose skill and trickery dazzled Newcastle fans in Japan and those watching at home.
Sadly, his cameo was ended slightly earlier than it should have been, with injury forcing him off. He was replaced by Jay Turner-Cooke for the final few minutes in Japan.
Newcastle fans are really excited after seeing more of Trevan Sanusi
While he was forced off early with injury, Sanusi showed Newcastle United fans exactly what he is capable of.
Toon fans have been really impressed with Sanusi’s performance, and have been praising the 17-year-old sensation on X.
“I’ve seen enough, Sanusi is the real deal,” commented one Newcastle United supporter.
It was a disappointing performance overall, but this fan had to single out Sanusi, writing: “Sanusi the shining light here – the kid has some ability.”
Another supporter wrote: “Sanusi looked class, was kicked and fouled at every opportunity because they couldn’t deal with him.”
For a lot of Toon fans, these friendlies have been the first proper chance to see Sanusi in action, and he is catching the eye. This member of the Toon Army tweeted: “I like the look of Sanusi. Plays with very close control.”
“On a plus note Sanusi looks a real prospect. Best player for NUFC this match,” commented a fifth Newcastle fan, as he aimed to take the positives from a disappointing display.
Finally, this fan made a prediction regarding the skilful youngster, writing: “Sanusi’s definitely going to be involved this season mind.”
Howe must protect Newcastle sensation
The hype around Sanusi is building, much like it did with Lewis Miley this time last summer.
Eddie Howe protected Miley, and he now must do the same with Sanusi.
That means managing his minutes and lowering expectations, allowing the teenager to focus on his game and continue developing.
And that development must continue on Tyneside. While he may benefit from senior exposure, Sanusi is too young to go out on loan.
He will be better served training with the Newcastle United first-team, working alongside already established wingers like Anthony Gordon and Barnes.
But the future is certainly bright for Sanusi, and hopefully he continues to get opportunities in black and white.
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