Newcastle United travel to Elland Road this evening to face Leeds United, looking to maintain their unbeaten start to Matthias Jaissle’s tenure as manager.
The Magpies have netted two or more goals in four of the five games since the German took charge, but they do well to emulate such a record later on tonight.
Daniel Farke’s men have failed to beat the Magpies in Yorkshire since December 2020, with the first-team only netting two or more goals in two of the last seven encounters.
However, if Jaissle’s men are to have the best chance of securing another vital victory, it’s vital the manager drops one player after his display in the Carabao Cup.
Why Jaissle needs to drop Murphy against Leeds
As part of the squad rotation for the recent clash against Millwall this week, Jaissle decided to hand winger Jacob Murphy an opportunity to stake his claim for a regular role.
The Englishman looked close to leaving St James’ Park during deadline day, after fellow Premier League side Nottingham Forest made a £15m offer for the 31-year-old attacker.
However, the manager decided to keep hold of the forward, with the experienced star able to provide a leadership role within the dressing room during his first season at the helm.
As a result, he was handed a start against the Championship side on Tuesday night, but his stats from such a clash showcase his inability to deliver within the final third.
|
Jacob Murphy – stats against Millwall |
|
|---|---|
|
Statistics |
Tally |
|
Minutes played |
66 |
|
Touches |
42 |
|
Pass accuracy |
82% |
|
Chances created |
1 |
|
Crosses completed |
1 |
|
Shots on target |
0 |
|
Possession lost |
14x |
|
Aerials won |
0 |
Murphy’s end product was way below the standard expected of the experienced star, with the winger only completing one of the 10 crosses he made into the opposition’s area.
The attacker’s lack of quality in midweek was further reflected in his wasteful nature in possession, as he gave the ball back to the hosts on 14 separate occasions.
His failure to impress against Championship opposition highlights his struggles as of late, with the forward evidently not at the level needed to star on Tyneside in 2026/27.
How Jaissle can replace Murphy with £43m Newcastle star
After a summer of change at Newcastle, new manager Jaissle will still be getting used to the players who were on the book last year, along with a host of fresh arrivals.
Winger Matias Fernandez-Pardo arrived on Tyneside on deadline day, but has yet to start a single game – subsequently making two substitute appearances off the bench.
However, Harvey Barnes’ recent form on Tyneside has made it tricky for the Belgian to dislodge him, but even then, he shouldn’t be the first player to replace the Englishman.
Fellow summer addition Bazoumana Toure has also been waiting patiently for a start since his own move, but has only featured once in England’s top-flight for a single minute this term.
The Ivorian, who cost £43m this summer, is highly regarded by many across Europe, but the supporters on Tyneside are yet to see his talent in full flow.
However, the clash against Leeds this evening could be the perfect opportunity to unleash the new addition and adhere himself to the fans in the North East.
His stats from his recent season in the Bundesliga showcase his attacking quality, which should see him replace Murphy in the starting eleven later on today.
Toure registered 14 combined goals and assists in the Bundesliga during the 2025/26 campaign – a tally nearly three times higher than the English attacker.
The Ivorian international also managed to complete 2.1 successful dribbles per 90 in Germany’s top-flight this term – another tally that’s nearly two times higher than Murphy’s.
However, Toure’s biggest asset is his crossing ability, as seen by his remarkable tally of 34% crosses completed – subsequently ranking him in the top 8% of attackers in the Bundesliga.
Such a department is what let Murphy down during the recent cup triumph, with the Ivorian able to hand Jaissle a much bigger threat within the final third of the pitch.
Toure is certainly an exciting attacking talent, as seen by the aforementioned figures, with the manager needing to unleash the youngster during today’s clash.
Such a decision would allow the Magpies to have an increased chance of claiming victory, whilst pushing Murphy closer to the exit door despite the recent rejected bid from Forest.