Not just Willock: Howe must drop Newcastle star who lost the ball 25 times

Newcastle United made it through to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup once again last night, with a hard-fought 2-1 win over fellow Premier League side Fulham.

Eddie Howe’s men certainly didn’t produce the most vintage of displays, but it was enough to secure their place in the final four for a second consecutive campaign.

Yoane Wissa managed to net his first goal for the Magpies during the triumph, whilst Lewis Miley leapt highest from a late corner to secure a much-needed win for the club.

As a result, Howe’s men will now face Manchester City in a two-legged semi-final, potentially booking their place in the final and moving one step closer to retaining their title.

However, if they are to get one over the most inform side in the division, the manager will need to drop multiple players who struggled to deliver despite the 2-1 victory.

Newcastle’s poor performers against Fulham last night

Full-back Tino Livramento has often been one of the shining lights within the Newcastle squad in recent months, but his showing at St James’ Park last night was one of his worst in recent times.

The 23-year-old featured for 76 minutes before being withdrawn, but he failed to deliver whilst on the pitch – as seen by his tally of 100% duels lost in the air and on the ground.

He also failed to complete any of his crosses or dribbles, while being unable to complete a single tackle – showcasing his lack of impact at both ends of the pitch.

However, Livramento wasn’t alone in failing to deliver on Tyneside, with central midfielder Joe Willock massively unable to take advantage of the start handed his way.

The Englishman was making just his fifth start of 2025/26, but it was yet another night to forget, as he was dominated without the ball, subsequently losing 67% of his ground duels.

He also failed to win any of the tackles he entered, whilst completing just 50% of the dribbles he attempted, with Howe making the right in call in replacing him after 72 minutes.

The Newcastle star who needs to be dropped after Fulham

The aforementioned duo evidently failed to deliver for Newcastle last night, but Howe will no doubt be pleased that his side were able to win ugly in the Carabao Cup quarter-final.

Sunday’s defeat against local rivals Sunderland has certainly ramped up the pressure on the 48-year-old, with retaining their League Cup triumph from last year now needed to help save his job.

The win against Marco Silva’s side was definitely much-needed, but the side will need to ensure they up their levels in the next round if they are to get past Manchester City.

If Howe is to reach a second successive League Cup final, he will certainly need to drop winger Jacob Murphy, with the 30-year-old currently enduring a huge drop in form.

Last season, he was one of the Magpies’ most influential players, as seen by his tally of 23 combined goals and assists across all competitions – three of which came in the Carabao Cup.

However, this campaign has been a slow one for the fan-favourite, with Murphy so far registering just five goal contributions in his 19 appearances in league and cup competitions.

Last night, he was handed a chance to impress from the off, but his 85-minute display on home soil was one to forget – with his stats backing up his awful performance.

Minutes played

85

Touches

56

Passes completed

68%

Possession lost

25x

Crosses attempted

9

Crosses completed

0

Dribbles completed

1

Duels lost

67%

Murphy has become known for his crossing during his spell on Tyneside, but he was hugely ineffective in such an area against Fulham – as seen by his tally of zero crosses completed from his nine attempts.

He also was only able to get past the opposition full-back on one occasion, whilst also being caught offside once – subsequently showcasing his lack of quality in the final third.

However, his most alarming area was his wastefulness in possession, subsequently completing just 68% of his passes and giving possession away on 25 separate occasions.

To cap off his disappointing performance, Murphy was handed a measly 4/10 match rating by Chronicle Live journalist Lee Ryder – the joint-lowest of any Magpies player who started the win.

After such a display, the manager must look to replace Murphy in the upcoming games, with the attacker evidently appearing like a shadow of his former self.

The recent form has no doubt been a concern, but a change in shape or personnel within the final third of the pitch could help the manager save his job and secure a second Carabao Cup trophy in as many seasons.

Saved by Miley: Howe must drop Newcastle flop who looks well past his best

Eddie Howe must ruthlessly drop this Newcastle United flop who looks well past his best at the club.

ByDan Emery