19-year-old Newcastle ace hailed for 'accomplished' display v Fiorentina

Newcastle United ran out 2-0 winners over Fiorentina at St James’ Park on Saturday in their first Sela Cup clash.

The Magpies took the lead through Miguel Almiron in the 39th minute of the encounter.

The Paraguayan linked up with Alexander Isak to rifle the ball past opposition goalkeeper Michele Cerofolini.

Newcastle then added a second late in the first half as Isak headed home from Kieran Trippier’s corner.

The result puts the Magpies in a solid position to win the pre-season trophy ahead of Sunday’s Villarreal clash.

Eddie Howe’s charges picked up five points against the Viola – three for the win and one for each goal.

The game also saw Sandro Tonali, Lewis Miley and Alex Murphy all make their first starts at St James’ Park.

All three delivered particularly impressive displays, which Howe, his coaches and the Toon Army loved to see.

In this piece, we’ll focus on Murphy, who lined up alongside Sven Botman in the Newcastle defence.

‘Looked like a seasoned pro’

Three local media outlets who published post-match ratings all had kind things to say about the 19-year-old.

Chronicle Live gave Murphy an 8 out of 10 rating for his efforts on the day.

“An accomplished display and looked like a seasoned pro,” they wrote. “Some excellent defensive contributions.”

Their first-half rating was the same score, saying he “slotted in like he’s been playing at St James’ Park for years.”

Meanwhile, Newcastle World went with a rating of 7.5 out of 10 for the teenage defender.

“The 19-year-old slotted into the centre of defence along Botman seamlessly, which is seriously impressive,” they wrote.

And finally, the Shields Gazette gave Murphy a 7 out of 10 rating for his performance against Fiorentina.

“Really comfortable at the back and won some important headers as Fiorentina pushed forward,” they wrote.

Newcastle and their owners can be proud of themselves for how they’ve gone about their business.

Not only have they bolstered their ranks with a perfect mix of signings, but they’ve also developed some amazing talents.

Elliot Anderson, Lewis Miley and Alex Murphy all look first-team ready, and hopefully they’ll all get regular game time for Howe this season.