Newcastle's morale hit a new low with a staggering 4-1 loss to Coventry, leaving manager Matthias Jaissle facing intensified scrutiny. One of the key figures drawing the ire of supporters was Jacob Murphy.
Coventry's goals came thick and fast, courtesy of Jack Rudoni, Sidiq Sherif, Ellis Simms, and Steven Mfuani. Amid the onslaught, Newcastle found a glimmer of hope with a stunning goal from Sven Botman, but it did little to affect the outcome.
This defeat stung even more due to the return of several key players, including Joëlinton, Amara Dedich, and Dan Burn, who were expected to bolster the side.
However, questions about Jaissle's starting lineup arose before the match, and the lack of a cohesive performance only heightened fan discontent.
It was a particularly grim evening for Murphy, who was subbed off in the 59th minute after creating three chances but managing only a meager expected assists rating of 0.15.
The 31-year-old struggled to make an impact, completing just one-third of his dribble attempts, with a mere 25% accuracy on his crosses and winning only 33% of his duels on the ground.
One of the most noticeable moments was a glaring miss from close range in the first half, which left fans shaking their heads.
Following the defeat, many supporters harked back to Newcastle's decision to reject two offers from Nottingham Forest for Murphy during the summer, one of which was valued at £15 million.
With the spectre of such a heavy loss looming, criticisms towards Jaissle are on the rise, and fans are increasingly questioning whether the coach can quickly turn the tide after a rocky start.
Newcastle's next opportunity to respond to the pressure will come on October 17, when they face Aston Villa.
