TOPSHOT - Newcastle United's English midfielder #23 Jacob Murphy (C) celebrates on the back of ... More Newcastle United's Swiss defender #05 Fabian Schar, who's long-range shot came back off the woodwork to enable Murphy to score during the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Newcastle United at King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England on April 7, 2025. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images It is rare that Jacob Murphy takes centre stage for Newcastle United, but in the win against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on Monday night, that is exactly what he did. The winger’s two goals in the 3-0 victory helped Newcastle climb to fifth in the Premier League, with Champions League dreams almost certain to be realised by finishing there this season due to the expanded competition. He has now been involved in 14 goals since December in the Premier League, fewer than only Newcastle team-mate Alexander Isak and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah. Leicester is deep in relegation trouble, sitting 17 points adrift of safety and expected to be confirmed as going down within weeks. Newcastle was expected to win, with the likes of Isak and Sandro Tonali again most likely to make the difference. But after just two minutes, Murphy made his mark, tapping home at the back post from Tino Livramento’s cross. At that point, with the benefit of hindsight, the win was pretty much secure already. Not long after, he scored a second. Again, he was in the right place at the right time, on his toes ready to run onto a pass from defender Fabian Schar as he won the ball on the halfway line. Schar, though, spotted the goalkeeper off his line and attempted an audacious shot, which came off the bar. Murphy reacted quickest to score, before former Leicester winger Harvey Barnes rounded off the first half with the third and final goal. “Fabi should have passed it to me,” Murphy laughed, speaking to NUFCtv after the game. "I thought he was going to, but he struck the ball so cleanly. I don’t know what made me follow it in but I did and got the reward of it coming off the bar. "I lost all composure. When it came off the bar, I was thinking ‘do I finish first time?’ When it came to me, it hit my shin then I managed to keep it within touching distance and knock it in. “It was more ‘can I get an assist?’ and ‘can I keep doing my defensive work?’ You’re just waiting for a moment, but it isn’t all about the headlines of a hat-trick. It is about being present in the game and helping out.” MORE FOR YOU FBI Warning—Stop These Calls On Your iPhone And Android Phone Will Trump Negotiate Tariffs? President Wants ‘Fair Deals’ With Other Countries—But Unlikely Before Midnight Deadline Google’s Android Update—Bad News For Samsung And Pixel Users Newcastle United's English midfielder #23 Jacob Murphy scores their second goal during the English ... More Premier League football match between Leicester City and Newcastle United at King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England on April 7, 2025. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images This game sums Murphy up. Newcastle has many more high profile players in its team, but he matches them in terms of attitude and work ethic and that has helped him survive a rapid rise for the entire club. He is one of the originals from when it was taken over by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund in October 2021, before big money signings were made; even at that time, he was struggling to establish himself and looked to be an early casualty of the new project. Murphy’s incredible rise from soccer wilderness Under the previous ownership and management, Murphy was sent out on loan to the Championship - English soccer’s second division - and still wasn’t playing regularly. But for all the impact new money had on Newcastle early on, the foundation of its recent success is coach Eddie Howe’s ability to get the most out of the players he has, even if they are not perceived to be good enough. Murphy is perhaps his greatest achievement in that regard. Fundamentally, as he said on Monday, Murphy puts the team first. He grew up a Newcastle fan, which gives him a deep connection to the club, but there is no ego attached to him. In fact, he is incredibly self aware, probably because he is so humble. Early career struggles and needing to work hard to reach the level he is at mean he understands his limitations, which makes him so easy to coach. Howe wants Murphy to keep it simple; use his incredible pace to run directly and stretch opposition defences, cross early for Isak and position himself well to score goals, as he did at Leicester. He isn’t expected to dominate a game and control its tempo; he does his job and plays his role. Newcastle’s desire for more options on the right wing are not a secret. Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo and PSV Eindhoven’s Johan Bakayoko are targets, but Murphy has done well to make that position his own in the meantime. Whatever happens, Murphy has shown he is not a stopgap. Perhaps Newcastle will sign a new player if they qualify for the Champions League, but his belief, work-rate and attitude have led him to perform on the level Newcastle need to get there. He is in the form of his life and the win at Leicester showed that; underestimate him at your peril. Editorial StandardsForbes Accolades