Alan Shearer: Jacob Murphy must step up after Anthony Elanga blow

Alan Shearer has called on Jacob Murphy to step up for Newcastle United following the injury blow suffered by Anthony Elanga.

Elanga had made an excellent start to the season, scoring against both Liverpool and Tottenham in our opening two Premier League games.

However, the Sweden international was ruled out of Monday night’s trip to Leeds United with a hamstring injury, and reports suggest he’ll miss six to eight weeks. 

Elanga “like a new signing”

Speaking about the situation to Betfair, Shearer believes Elanga’s injury could be a major blow given his signs of improvement since Matthias Jaissle’s appointment. 

“Anthony Elanga has been like a new signing because we didn’t see anywhere near his potential last season at Newcastle after what we saw at Forest.

“He started really brightly after a promising World Cup, so it would be a blow, absolutely, because of what he offers Newcastle in terms of his pace.

“He scored a brilliant goal at Spurs and scored against Liverpool too, so it will be a big blow if it is long-term.”

Elanga’s pace and direct running had quickly become an important part of Jaissle’s fast-paced, vertical football, which feels much harder to achieve with Jacob Murphy in the side.

Murphy now has to step up

With Elanga unavailable, Jacob Murphy is likely to have an important role to play on the right side of Newcastle’s attack. 

Murphy started in Elanga’s place at Leeds, although he offered next to nothing in a 4-1 defeat at Elland Road, scoring a 2/10 in our player ratings piece. 

Shearer believes the 30-year-old now has an opportunity to show exactly why Jaissle wanted him to remain on Tyneside, but he must improve. 

“Jacob Murphy has been there for a while and knows what it is, but he is a different player to Elanga. He’s the one that will have to step up.”

Newcastle received a generous £15m bid from Nottingham Forest on deadline day, and Shearer believes that Jaissle’s decision to keep him now puts the responsibility on Murphy to deliver. 

“There’s a new manager and a different scenario.

“There was talk of him leaving this summer, but the manager wanted to keep him, so he will have to step up.”

Murphy is likely to start Saturday’s home clash with Hull, although Jaissle does have other options, with Bazoumana Toure and Matias Fernandez-Pardo also able to play down the right.