Newcastle United summer signing scores first goal as player facing uncertain future gets run-out

A goal from Kyle Crossley and a free-kick from Santiago Munoz put the Young Magpies 2-0 up at the break. Harley O’Grady-Macken pulled a goal back for the hosts in the second half before new signing Alex Murphy secured victory.

Murphy, 18, arrived at Newcastle from Galway United earlier this month and spent last week in Spain with the academy squad.

The defender played the second half of a 2-1 win over La Liga side Elche and was a substitute once again versus Blackburn.

He replaced the injured Remi Savage in the first half and secured victory in the second with his first goal for the club, heading in from Jay Turner-Cooke’s free-kick.

Matty Longstaff – who is facing an uncertain future at the club – also played 60 minutes after not getting on the pitch for United’s first-team against 1860 Munich and Mainz 05 in Austria.

Longstaff spent last season on loan at Aberdeen and Mansfield Town and has just a year remaining on his current deal at Newcastle.

Eddie Howe’s preference of Elliot Anderson in pre-season and Longstaff’s involvement with the Under-21s suggests that the 22-year-old’s future lies away from the club.

NUFC line-up: M.Thompson (Brown 46), Barclay (Stewart 46), Bondswell (Hackett 46), M.Longstaff (Stanton 60), Brookwell (Wiggett 46), Savage (A.Murphy 25), Stephenson (Huntley 46), J.Miley (Carlyon 46), Munoz (Ferguson 46), De Bolle (Turner-Cooke 46), Crossley (Scott 46).