adminNewcastle United failed to show up against Leeds United as Matthias Jaissle’s unbeaten start came to an emphatic end.
Matthias Jaissle’s honeymoon at Newcastle United came to a brutal end with a 4-1 defeat at Elland Road. Here are your five key takeaways from a dismal showing in West Yorkshire as Leeds United ran out as worthy winners.
When Nico Gonzalez hobbled off injured on 19 minutes, the average age of Newcastle’s team dropped to 24.3. And it showed. Throughout the contest, it truly was men against boys.
By contrast, at 26.7, Leeds have the oldest average aged squad in the division. Under the lights at one of the Premier League’s fiercest grounds, the young Magpies looked lost.
Newcastle warned nights like this would happen following the youthful rebuild. Now it has – and the countless public errs of caution do not make the pain any easier.
Elanga’s shock omission buried the pre-match talking point of Matias Fernandez-Pardo earning an opportunity up front. The marquee summer arrival had little pre-season action as he pushed for a Lille exit.
Two cameo appearances – including a hand in the winner at Millwall – gave Newcastle a glimpse of his £51million talents. Jaissle handed Fernandez-Pardo a golden chance… which failed to pay off.
To pin this on him would be harsh. Many aimless long balls to the lone forward were straight out of an English coaching manual from the 1980s rather than a “vertical football” bible.
Both sides arrived here unbeaten in the opening three Premier League games. Few could predict this one before kick-off – but it did not take long for the script to be written.
There was only one winner here. From start to finish, Leeds bullied Newcastle. There was genuine fear at half-time that this could get ugly.
A four-goal battering dealt a reality check to the Magpies after a strong start results-wise. But the underbelly of performances since the Tottenham Hotspur win suggested a game like this was coming.
Jacob Murphy’s name featured on the team sheet – sending social media into meltdown. Elanga missed out due to a knock, handing the veteran winger a chance to make amends after a poor showing at Millwall.
A deadline-day debate emerged about whether to sell Murphy – who has one year left on his contract – for £15million. The online consensus and new-look transfer policy pointed towards selling the 31-year-old.
But Jaissle pushed back – believing Murphy to be a trusted lieutenant in the dressing room. The tone for his night was set in the opening moments when he miscontrolled a simple pass.
Murphy offered nothing. On tonight’s evidence, those criticising the decision not to cash in for a fee Newcastle will never receive again were justified. For what it is worth, Bazoumana Toure netting a late consolation might have bumped him up the pecking order…
Newcastle twice tried to sign the England international. Previous summers almost saw a move materialise. A brief enquiry earlier this year led to nothing and Trafford headed to Elland Road.
Midway through the second half, chants of “England’s No.1” rang out from the home end. He had little to do all game but does very much appear to be the heir apparent to Jordan Pickford.
A clean sheet against Newcastle. There will be no regrets about his decision when Trafford goes to sleep tonight.
Abdulhafiz Teslim
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