There was no bigger smile in all of Milan than Jacob Murphy’s when that Champions League anthem kicked in on Tuesday night and Eddie Howe has now shared why he started the winger.
Eddie Howe spoke to the media this morning ahead of Sunday’s visit to Sheffield United, but there was inevitably lots of talk about the game on Tuesday night.
Newcastle United made their return to the Champions League following a 20 year absence in the San Siro against AC Milan. Lining up for the Magpies on the night were five players who’d never experienced playing in that competition before, three of whom were boyhood Newcastle fans.
Newcastle were well represented by Geordies against AC Milan
Sean Longstaff, Dan Burn and Jacob Murphy thought they could only dream of representing their beloved Newcastle in the Champions League but all three started the game on Tuesday with another Geordie in Elliot Anderson entering the fray in the second half.
Howe has always expressed the importance of having boyhood fans in the squad as they know what the club means to the fans. Nobody wore their heart on their sleeve more than Murphy on Tuesday.
As the Champions League anthem started bellowing around the stadium, Jacob Murphy couldn’t hide his emotions as a beaming smile appeared on his face followed by a huge intake of breath and a long exhale as he tried to compose himself.
Eddie Howe was asked why he opted to start with Murphy and what he thought of his reaction in the line-up, to which Howe replied (via The Chronicle): “Jacob was magnificent last year. He’s very reliable, you know what you’re going to get from him. He did a really good job for the team.
“I’ve seen the video. I don’t know if he’s overwhelmed but he’s just taking it in. Rightly so, for a lot of our players. I think Jacob was savouring that moment.”
Jacob Murphy earned his spot in Newcastle’s CL line-up
I said it a few times that there were few players who deserved their shot at representing Newcastle in the Champions League more than Jacob Murphy after last season.
He was by far the best contender for the Joelinton Award (most improved player of the season), and his hilarious antics on and off the field make him meme gold.
When it matters though, Murphy can be very serious and that’s exactly what he was when that whistle blew on Tuesday. He drew some criticism from some fans as it was far from a world-class performance, but overall he did well and did what Howe asked of him.
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