The opener is one of a crop of young batters who will feature in the two-day pink-ball game

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Nov-2025Sam Konstas has been named in the Prime Minister’s XI to face an England team in Canberra at the end of November in a two-day day-night fixture with the side including some of the best young batting talent in Australia.Ollie Peake, Campbell Kellaway and Hugh Weibgen will also feature alongside Nathan McSweeney who played three Tests against India last season. The side will be captained by the experienced Peter Handscomb and also includes former Test quick Peter Siddle.It was the corresponding fixture last season that helped propel Konstas into the Test side when he flayed 107 off 97 against India in what became a one-day game due to rain.Konstas has lost his Test place for the start of the Ashes after struggling in West Indies then making 161 runs at 20.12 in four rounds of the Sheffield Shield.Kellaway, meanwhile, has been one of the standout batters in the early stages of the season with 317 runs at 39.62 opening for Victoria, recently facing down a rapid spell from Mitchell Starc at the SCG.His state coach, Chris Rogers, earmarked him as one of the frontrunners to replace Usman Khawaja when his career ends.”It’s proven once again he could be the successor to Khawaja. He’s going to do fantastic things in his career,” Rogers, said. “I spoke to Campbell about it after and he wouldn’t have faced that challenge throughout his career.”But if he’s going to go on and play international cricket then he will have to face things like that, where tall, fast bowlers are kind of aiming at his front shoulder.”So that’s something that he’s going to have to work on, the positions he gets into. But to come out and get 50 and line the ball up so well against Starc and Hazlewood, I thought that was a real tick.”Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: “This team showcases the depth of talent in our domestic cricket system, and I’m particularly excited to see some of our emerging stars earn this opportunity.”I am also looking forward to the Ashes commencing in Perth from 21 November, it’s the oldest rivalry in world cricket – Australia and England in an Ashes Series always means something extra.”The PM’s XI match takes place on November 29 and 30 between the first and second Tests.Prime Minister’s XI squad vs England
Peter Handscomb (capt), Benji Floros, Campbell Kellaway, Campbell Thompson, Charlie Anderson, Doug Warren, Hugh Weibgen, Joel Curtis, Nathan McSweeney, Oliver Peake, Peter Siddle, Sam Konstas, Sam Skelly

Well, it certainly could have been easier. If England could have picked their opponents for the 2026 World Cup group stage, they probably would not have chosen a Croatia team that finished third at the last tournament and knocked them out in the semi-finals at the previous one in Russia, or a Ghana side containing two of the most exciting forwards in the Premier League.

At least Panama, who they destroyed 6-1 in the group stage in 2018, represent as close a guarantee to a win as is possible. A testing group, however, is just what Thomas Tuchel's side need to warm-up for the knockout rounds, when the expanded World Cup will truly kick into life. 

England are the only team at the 2026 World Cup to have won all their qualifying games without conceding a goal, and yet the confidence that comes from such a dominant display in those eight matches has to be balanced with the fact that Tuchel's side are yet to face a top team, with their friendlies pitting them against Wales and Senegal, the latter beating them last June.

Having a relatively tough run of opening matches will help sharpen England's reflexes and test their mentality, which should put them in good stead for the business end of the tournament. The Three Lions will need to be prepared because they have a truly daunting path to the final, potentially meeting former winners in every stage from the quarter-finals onwards. 

But while Gareth Southgate's England tended to be cowed by playing the very best teams, Tuchel has sought to remove the fear factor from his players, fostering fierce competition among his squad, which has translated into them wanting to tear into opponents rather than being overawed by them. As the fourth-ranked team in the world and runners-up in the last two European Championships, England have no excuse for not going all the way, regardless of how the draw has panned out.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Croatia not the force they were

  England will begin the tournament after nearly everyone else when they play Croatia on June 17, six days after Mexico and South Africa get the show on the road.

  The mere mention of Croatia makes many England fans shudder. They came from behind to beat Gareth Southgate's side in the semi-finals of 2018, using the perceived arrogance of the constant talk of 'Football Coming Home' as fuel. 

  Croatia were also responsible for England's darkest moment in the 21st Century: Their failure to qualify for Euro 2008 after losing 3-2 to Slavan Bilic's side at a rain-swept Wembley. England avenged that defeat by thrashing Croatia home and away while qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, while Southgate's side also got their own back, beating Zlatko Dalic's men in the Nations League and in the first game of Euro 2020.

  Croatia defied the odds once again at Qatar 2022, reaching the semi-finals after coming back to beat Japan and then Brazil on penalties, and few teams have their endurance factor in the big moments. But they are a team of the past, as their dismal showing at Euro 2024 showed.

  Captain Luka Modric recently turned 40, but he is far from the exception when it comes to veterans with prominent roles in the team. Ivan Perisic will be 37 when the tournament comes around while Andrej Kramaric will be almost 35. England should beat them.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Ghana on the way back after AFCON disaster

  Next up is Ghana. The Black Stars are the lowest-ranked team England will face in the group after they suffered the ignominy of failing to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. They recovered some pride by winning eight of their 10 World Cup qualifiers to finish top of their group, however, and they have more than enough big names to keep Tuchel's side on their toes. 

  Antoine Semenyo is one of the most productive players in the Premier League and will be the one England will be looking to keep a lid on, with Mohamed Kudus a close second. Semenyo has, it should be pointed out, failed to reproduce his club heroics for his country, scoring only three goals and providing one assist in 32 internationals.

  Ghana's top scorer in World Cup qualifying was Leicester City striker Jordan Ayew, who just so happens to be the son of Abedi Pele, the greatest Black Stars player of all time. Coach Otto Addo, who led them to the last World Cup in Qatar but left before the AFCON qualifying debacle, has European experience as an assistant with Borussia Dortmund and Danish side Nordsjaelland, and has bolstered their threat from dead balls by with the help of the Belgian video analyst and set-piece coach Gregory De Grauwe.

  They will be no pushovers, but England should have more than enough resources to also beat them.

• AFP
  

  Panama have kicked on

  England will have hoped to have at least assured themselves of a place in the knockout rounds when they meet Panama in their third and final group game. The 6-1 shellacking of the Central American nation in Nizhny Novgorod smashed England's previous record win at a World Cup, with Harry Kane's hat-trick against the tournament debutants going a long way towards him winning the Golden Boot. Panama failed to pick up a point in Russia, but have advanced as a team since then under the tutelage of Thomas Christiansen. 

  The former Leeds United coach, who spent most of his playing career in Spain and represented La Roja despite being born in Denmark, took Panama to the final of the 2023 Gold Cup, the 2024-25 Concacaf Nations League and to the quarter-finals of the Copa America in 2024, which was held in the United States. 

  Strangely, the team that are ostensibly the minnows of Group L could pose the toughest challenge to England as they set up in an extremely conservative 5-4-1 formation, the same shape that Andorra used in their narrow defeats to Tuchel's side in qualifying. But if England need a result to qualify or finish top of the group, they will surely get it. Indeed, their relentless record in qualifying suggests Tuchel will not let them relax even if the game is a dead rubber.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  Avoiding the worst conditions

  The good news is that England have avoided some of the toughest conditions when it comes to temperature, humidity and altitude. The exact venues and kick-off times will not be confirmed until Saturday evening, although most of England's games have been designated for the eastern region, with one exception: Dallas.

  Their opening game with Croatia will be in either Toronto or Dallas, places with vastly different climates. The good news is though that if the game is held in Dallas – or Arlington, to be exact – AT&T Stadium has a retractable roof and its climate can be controlled, protecting the players from the worst of the Texas summer and its temperatures that can reach 34C degrees. 

  Toronto represents the best conditions for football, and England could also play Ghana in the Canadian city, meaning there is potential for back-to-back games without travel. The alternative is Boston, which will be hotter and with the added disadvantage of the Gillette Stadium having no roof and thus no shelter from the sun or the rain. The same is true of the MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey and Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, the two options for the final game against Panama.

  If England top Group L, their path through the knockout stage will see them criss-cross the continent, heading south to the indoor Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for the last 32, then all the way to Mexico City, with lower temperatures but significant altitude, for the last 16. The humidity of Miami would be a new challenge for Tuchel's side in the quarter-finals, with a return to Atalanta on the cards in the semis before a final in New York/New Jersey.

It's fair to say that not even Arsenal fans were convinced by the club's decision to pay Chelsea £50 million for Noni Madueke during the summer transfer window – but it's starting to look like a masterstroke, with the winger having produced another stellar performance on the game's grandest stage in Wednesday's Champions League win over Club Brugge.

Just a few weeks after opening his account for the Gunners in the 3-1 defeat of Bayern Munich, Madueke helped himself to a double in a 3-0 victory in Belgium – thus becoming the first player to ever score his first three goals for the north Londoners in the European Cup.

His first effort was a stunner, too, with Madueke showing terrific strength to hold off one challenger and barge past another before rifling a shot into the back of the Brugge net via the underside of the crossbar. The England international's second strike was far more straightforward, as he was completely unmarked and only two yards out when he got his head on the end of a delightful cross from Martin Zubimendi.

Perhaps inspired by what Madueke was producing on the opposite flank, Gabriel Martinelli decided to leave his stamp on the game with a stunning strike of his own after a fortuitous break of the ball on the left wing and, in truth, the visitors could have added even more goals during the closing stages of what proved an ultimately facile win.

GOAL rates all of the Arsenal players on show at the Jan Breydel Stadium as the Gunners made it six wins from six games in this season's Champions League…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

David Raya (7/10):

One second-half save wasn't particularly convincing but the Spaniard will be delighted with his latest shut-out, as he was called into action a lot more than usual.

Ben White (6/10):

Always looking to get forward, particularly in the first half, and also played his part in Arsenal keeping a commendable clean sheet against a dangerous counter-attacking team.

Christian Norgaard (6/10):

With Arsenal shorn of the services of several players, Arteta opted to deploy the Dane as a centre-back in Belgium and while he picked up a booking for a tactical foul, the defensive midfield did well for the most part.

Piero Hincapie (7/10):

A solid showing from the Ecuadorian, who defended well and also twice went close to scoring before being brought off midway through the second half.

Myles Lewis-Skelly (5/10):

Carlos Forbs caused the England international all sorts of problems during the first half but he looked a lot more comfortable after the break.

AdvertisementAFPMidfield

Martin Odegaard (6/10):

Very bright early on and nearly scored at one point but the Norwegian was once again quietly efficient rather than overtly influential before his 71st-minute withdrawal.

Martin Zubimendi (8/10):

Another dynamic display from one of Arsenal's best players so far this season. The Basque got through plenty of work in midfield, kept the ball moving and also contributed two assists, the second of which was a cross from the left wing that was just begging to be converted.

Mikel Merino (5/10):

An unusually underwhelming outing from the Spaniard, who surprisingly offered little in attack and was relatively poor in possession. 

Getty Images SportAttack

Noni Madueke (8/10):

Starting ahead of Bukayo Saka, Madueke broke the deadlock with a sensational solo strike that his compatriot would have been proud of – before showing good goalscoring instincts to get on the end of Zubimendi's cross. Those of us who doubted his worth to Arsenal are being made to eat our words!

Viktor Gyokeres (4/10):

A painfully ineffective performance from the expensive Swedish striker, who never looked like scoring and touched the ball just 12 times before being hauled off just after the hour mark.

Gabriel Martinelli (8/10):

An absolute livewire down the left wing, the Brazilian tormented his marker throughout and capped a dynamic display with a stunning right-footed strike into the top corner. Fair to say that Martinelli is back to his best.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPSubs & Manager

Riccardo Calafiori (6/10):

Replaced Hincapie with half an hour to go and slotted seamlessly into the back four.

Gabriel Jesus (6/10):

Made his long-awaited return to action and looked lively, hitting the bar with a thumping late strike. Gyokeres has competition for the central striking berth!

Ethan Nwaneri (6/10):

Brought on with less than 20 minutes to go and saw a couple of good efforts saved in injury time.

Bukayo Saka (5/10):

Part of a double substitution with Nwaneri but didn't make that much of an impact.

Marli Salmon (N/A):

The 16-year-old came on for White in the 81st minute to make his first appearance at senior level.

Mikel Arteta (8/10):

Made excellent use of arguably the strongest squad in Europe, as Arsenal maintained their perfect record in this season's Champions League by sweeping aside a team that had previously held Barcelona to a 3-3 draw.

The New York Yankees made a massive addition to shore up their infield by trading for Colorado Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon on Friday. The Yankees sent prospects Griffin Herring and Josh Grosz back to the Rockies so that they could acquire the former All-Star infielder.

Prior to the Yankees' game against the Philadelphia Phillies Friday, manager Aaron Boone shared his initial thoughts on the addition of McMahon.

“Really excited, been an All-Star third baseman," Boone told reporters. "Really good defender. Has had some ups and downs offensively this year, but over the past month, he’s swinging the bat well. He's a presence and can really defend over there at third, and has for a number of years. We're excited to get him."

McMahon has had some struggles at the plate this year—only Riley Greene has struck out more than him in MLB this year—but he will provide stability at third base and defensively after the Yankees have cycled through several options at the position this year.

"He can really defend over there," Boone said. "The handful of times that we've played against them that I watch him, you're like, 'That's what it should look like over there. He moves really well and has that prototypical good third base thing.'"

McMahon will come to the Yankees after spending his entire career prior with the Rockies. This season, he has slashed .217/.314/.403 with 16 home runs and 35 RBIs. He is the Yankees' first major midseason addition this year as New York looks to keep up with the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East division race and return to the World Series.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu had quite the unique game Monday night, hitting both an inside-the-park home run and a grand slam in the team's 13–6 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Fenway Park.

He made it all the way around the bases and home safely in the fifth inning after he striped a ball to center field that took an awkward, unplayable bounce off the triangle wall at Fenway. Reds center fielder TJ Friedl slipped trying to redirect and track down the ball, allowing Abreu to make it home without a play at the plate. Then, in the eighth inning, he cleared the shallow wall at Fenway with the bases juiced to open up Boston's lead to eight runs.

He joined a small club of players who have hit an inside-the-park homer and a grand slam separately in the same game—a feat which hasn't been seen since Roger Maris in 1958 according to MLB reporter Sarah Langs.

Abreu's big day marked the sixth time in history a player has had an inside-the-parker plus a grand slam. Other than Maris, he joined Jim Tabor (1939), Charlie Gehringer (1930), Everett Scott (1923) and Jocko Fields (1890).

What a game for Abreu, which helped spark Boston's struggling offense to give the team just their second win over the past nine games. It's not every day you see a first for this century, let alone in the past 67 years. Keep this one in the back of your mind for a trivia question down the road.

They go into the 2025 season with a huge disadvantage: Alyssa Healy is out injured. To plug the gap, Chamari Athapaththu will need to blaze away, and Sophie Ecclestone extend her stellar 2024

Ashish Pant12-Feb-20251:02

Despite losing Healy, UPW still ‘a very decent team’

Where UP Warriorz finished in WPL 2024Fourth. One place worse than what they managed in 2023. They were inconsistent all season, managing just three wins in eight matches and failed to qualify for the playoffs.What’s new in WPL 2025?For starters, a new captain. Deepti Sharma will lead Warriorz in WPL 2025 after Alyssa Healy pulled out due to a stress injury in her right foot. Deepti has been with Warriorz side since the first season and was their shining light with ball and bat in 2024.Warriorz have opted to bring in West Indies middle-order batter and quick bowler Chinelle Henry as a replacement for Healy.Related

Chinelle Henry replaces injured Alyssa Healy at UP Warriorz

Warriorz went into the auction with the second-highest purse of INR 3.9 crore and three slots to fill. They ended up using only INR 50 lakh of that amount which they used to buy Alana King, Arushi Goel and Kranti Goud. It is likely that all three might not get into the first XI right away.Squad and likely XI1 Chamari Athapaththu, 2 Vrinda Dinesh, 3 Kiran Navgire, 4 Grace Harris, 5 Tahlia McGrath, 6 Deepti Sharma, 7 Uma Chetry (wk), 8 Sophie Ecclestone, 9 Anjali Sarvani/Kranti Goud, 10 Saima Thakor, 11 Rajeshwari Gayakwad/Gouher SultanaOther players: Shweta Sehrawat, Poonam Khemnar, Arushi Goel, Alana King, Chinelle HenryKey players: Deepti Sharma, Sophie Ecclestone, Chamari AthapaththuIt is hard to look past Deepti, who is Warriorz’s third-highest run-getter (385 runs in 16 innings) and their second-highest wicket-taker (19 wickets in 17 innings) overall. Deepti has been in terrific form in the last 12 months, averaging close to 50 with the bat and 21.13 with the ball in T20 cricket. She showed her range in WPL 2024, scoring runs at a fair clip and taking wickets like she always does. Now with the added responsibility, Deepti becomes an even more vital cog in the setup.Sophie Ecclestone, WPL’s highest wicket-taker and the highest wicket-taker in T20s over the last 12 months, will also have an important role to play in conditions where pitches are likely to turn.The other key player in the Warriorz line-up is Chamari Athapaththu. She did not always start last season, but now, with Healy not around, she is expected to get an extended run at the top. Don’t discount her offspin as well.Young one to watch: Kranti GoudKranti Goud, the 21-year-old Madhya Pradesh quick, is a player to keep an eye on. She is rapid and gets plenty of movement both off the surface and in the air. She picked up 15 wickets in nine matches at the Senior Women’s One-Day Trophy in December last year, which included a 4 for 25 in the final that helped MP to the title. Warriorz do not have a lot of pace in their unit and Goud could help add that extra nip.UP Warriorz’s league fixturesWarriorz are the last team to start the season, on the third day against Gujarat Giants in Vadodara. This is the first season they will get to play in their home city of Lucknow. They start the season with two games in Vadodara, before they move to Bengaluru for three games and then to Lucknow for their final three league games.

يستعد فريق ليفربول، بقيادة المدرب آرني سلوت، لخوض مباراته في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، مساء السبت، وذلك ضد خصمه برايتون.

ويستضيف ملعب “الأنفيلد” مباراة ليفربول وبرايتون، في الجولة السادسة عشر من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي موسم 2025/26.

ويحتل ليفربول المركز العاشر في جدول الدوري الإنجليزي برصيد 23 نقطة، في حين أن برايتون لديه عدد النقاط نفسه ولكنه يحتل المركز الثامن.

ويسعى ليفربول إلى مواصلة سلسلة نتائجه الإيجابية حيث لم يخسر في آخر 3 مباريات في الدوري الإنجليزي، بواقع فوز وتعادلين، كما انتصر على إنتر ميلان بهدف نظيف في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وأكدت تقارير صحفية مختلفة، الجمعة، أن محمد صلاح سيتواجد في قائمة ليفربول لخوض مباراة برايتون، بعد جلسة إيجابية مع آرني سلوت، ولكن ليس من المعروف ما إذا كان سيشارك أساسيًا أم لا. موعد مباراة ليفربول وبرايتون اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة 5 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 6 بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة ليفربول وبرايتون اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

تُذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 1. معلق مباراة ليفربول وبرايتون اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

سيعلق علي سعيد الكعبي، على أحداث مباراة اليوم.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

The Cubs signed veteran first baseman Carlos Santana on Sunday, 's Jon Heyman was the first to report. This comes days after the Guardians released Santana in a "joint decision" between the two sides, the Associated Press reported on Thursday.

Santana wanted the ability to compete for a playoff contender once he was released from Cleveland. And, well, Chicago is definitely that.

With a 78-58 record, the Cubs hold the top wild-card spot in the National League as of Sunday morning. They have the MLB's best Brewers (85-52) leading the NL Central to deal with. But, unless something catastrophically goes wrong in September for Chicago, the Cubs will be in the postseason for the first time since 2020.

The 39-year-old was in his third stint with the Guardians after signing a one-year deal back in December. Through 116 games this season, Santana is averaging .225/.316/.333 with 89 hits, 49 runs, 52 RBIs and 11 home runs. While it's not his best year by any means, he's put up impressive numbers for his age and for this point of his MLB career.

It's unknown what kind of role the Cubs will put Santana in when he arrives in Chicago. The Cubs have Michael Busch competing at first base right now, who's having his career-best season.

MatériaMais Notícias

Marquinhos foi o principal destaque do Fluminense na vitória sobre o Colo-Colo na segunda rodada da fase de grupos da Libertadores. O atacante abriu o placar para o Tricolor e ainda deu uma assistência para o gol de Germán Cano. Após o apito final, o jogador afirmou ter realizado um sonho ao jogar no Maracanã.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFluminenseGols e melhores momentos da vitória do Fluminense sobre o Colo-Colo pela LibertadoresFluminense09/04/2024FluminenseFluminense vence o Colo-Colo na primeira partida da Libertadores no Maracanã após o título inéditoFluminense09/04/2024FluminenseTricolores reagem ao golaço de Marquinhos pelo Fluminense na Libertadores: ‘Titular absoluto’Fluminense09/04/2024

➡️ Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Fluminense

➡️A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

Hoje foi mais um sonho realizado. Estava ansioso para jogar no Maracanã ao lado dessa torcida maravilhosa em noite de Libertadores. Espero continuar ajudando a equipe, seja com gols, seja com assistências. Estou muito feliz e espero manter essa grande fase. Esse ano tem grandes coisas para acontecer

---

disse Marquinhos

Tudo sobre

FluminenseFutebol NacionalLibertadores

Newcastle United arguably put in their besst performance of the season as they beat Benfica 3-0 to make it back-to-back wins in the Champions League.

Though the Magpies have struggled to get going this season, especially from an offensive standpoint, their success on the continent is evidence of Eddie Howe’s abiding tactical quality, with the cogs sure to start whirring as the new batch of players work toward a continuation of last year’s illustrious success.

That starts now, in the Premier League. Last weekend, United lost on a trip to Brighton, and they languish in 14th place, just nine points from eight games.

But a closer look at the new phase Howe is championing demonstrates exactly why he is valued as “one of the top managers in the country, if not the world” by pundit Jamie Redknapp.

He adapts, and the tactician must showcase that nous yet again on Sunday, when Fulham are welcomed to St. James’ Park. However, that frontline does need some work, even with Nick Woltemade firing on all cylinders.

Newcastle team news

Howe said that Newcastle must produce their best possible performance if they wish to turn over a gritty and well-balanced Fulham side in the Premier League.

The Cottagers claimed three points at St. James’ Park last season, but they have lost three on the bounce in the Premier League and are there for the taking, with Joachim Andersen and Antonee Robinson both sidelined.

A promising update on the injury recoveries of Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall: both full-backs are nearing the end of their rehabilitation and are back on the grass. Anticipate further developments in the coming weeks.

While Howe reported no new injury concerns, he did confirm Sandro Tonali “will be touch and go” after struggling with illness this week.

Meanwhile, summer signing Yoane Wissa’s wait for his debut rages on, still in recovery from the knee injury suffered on international duty. The 29-year-old’s rehabilitation will stretch toward the Christmas period.

More praise was heaped on Woltemade. The German striker continues to deputise as Wissa’s recovery continues, and given the richness of the purple patch he is riding, few will have concerns about his presence at number nine (other than the Fulham defence, that is).

However, while the striker is firing, Howe will hope to see more from his wide forwards. In fairness, Harvey Barnes bagged a brace in midweek, with Anthony Gordon claiming the Man of the Match award in the Champions League.

But Anthony Elanga continues to leave much to be desired down the right, and it’s for this reason that Newcastle’s most underrated star could be the difference-maker on Saturday afternoon.

Howe must unleash Newcastle's "unsung hero"

Has there been a more compelling success story at Newcastle over the past few years than that of Jacob Murphy? The 29-year-old was written off after years as a journeyman, but has pieced together an iconic career on Tyneside.

Last season, in particular, Murphy was in fine fettle, stepping up after Newcastle failed to sign a right-sided forward and posting nine goals and 14 assists across all competitions.

Some return, that. Howe hailed his protege as “the ultimate professional”, and his is a story that up-and-coming hopefuls will use as fuel for many years to come. It’s never too late to turn things around.

The veteran has only featured as a substitute across Newcastle’s past two Premier League matches, and his stability and industriousness could be perfect against Marco Silva’s organised outfit.

That is not to say he’s without his flair and creativity on the ball. As per FBref, Murphy ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists per 90.

He might not have Elanga’s pace or Barnes’ natural eye for goal, but with Gordon clicking into gear and Woltemade undroppable at the front of the ship, this could be the line-up to develop and sustain synergy and fluency across the full 90.

You will need no reminder that the Magpies have only won two of their eight Premier League fixtures so far this season.

It stands as a testament to Murphy’s resilience and unwavering belief in his abilities that he has established himself as one of the key components of Newcastle’s journey since the PIF takeover and subsequent appointment of Howe.

1

Bruno Guimaraes

164

2

Fabian Schar

160

3

Dan Burn

159

4

Jacob Murphy

145

5

Joelinton

139

He might not be the most prolific player in the mix, but Murphy is unquestionably among England’s most underrated players in modern times, hailed as an “unsung hero” by journalist Scott Wilson for his knack at coming up trumps for the Toon.

And anyway, with three goals and four assists across 13 matches against Fulham, Howe would be restoring the experienced winger to the starting line-up against the side he has chalked up more direct contributions than any other across his career.

While Elanga will be desperate to impress after going without a goal or an assist across his first 12 appearances in black and white, Howe will know the importance of using the midweek Champions League victory as a springboard.

Newcastle simply have to return to winning ways in the Premier League, and with Murphy on the right, fuelling in-form pair Gordon and Woltemade, it might just be the perfect blend.

Howe can forget Elanga by unleashing Newcastle's teen who's 'like Yamal'

Eddie Howe may turn to the academy to help build fluency down Newcastle’s right side.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 23, 2025