Jacob Murphy has backed Newcastle to bounce back from their Carabao Cup final disappointment and achieve “something special” during what remains of the season.
A little more than a week ago, the Magpies, who have not won a major trophy since 1969, had high hopes of ending that drought having lost just once in 23 games in all competitions and sitting fourth in the Premier League table.
However, back-to-back 2-0 defeats by Liverpool in the league and Manchester United at Wembley have seen the chance of silverware wrenched from their grasp and eased them out of the top four ahead of Saturday’s difficult trip to reigning champions Manchester City.
A defiant Murphy said: “We are a resilient group. I am proud of every single one of the lads. We dust ourselves down.
“You don’t lose, you learn. It felt an experience like this for this group is just the beginning.
“Our focus now goes to Saturday, a huge game away to City. I am confident in this group.
“I hope everybody else has the belief we do inside the dressing room because we can still achieve something special this season.”
I have had an opportunity to play in a cup final with a band of brothers, so that was a special moment.— Newcastle midfielder Jacob Murphy
Newcastle gave as good as they got for long periods at Wembley, but crucially – and by head coach Eddie Howe’s own admission – were not clinical enough in either penalty area to prosper.
Seconds after David de Gea had pulled off a fine save to deny Allan Saint-Maximin, they faltered from a defensive free-kick to allow Casemiro to head home.
Six minutes later, Sven Botman deflected man-of-the-moment Marcus Rashford’s shot over keeper Loris Karius, making his debut for the club in his first competitive game for almost two years in the absence of the suspended Nick Pope, and into the net.
Murphy said: “We’re bitterly disappointed, but I have had an opportunity to play in a cup final with a band of brothers, so that was a special moment. That is the overriding feeling.
“Over the course of the game, I think we were the better team. Their two goals came as a sucker punch for us.
“We controlled the game for large parts, but when you are 2-0 down, it is always going to be a tough game to get back into.”
Murphy, who was used as a second-half substitute, might have reduced the deficit late on with a searing strike from distance which flew inches wide with De Gea helpless, although rather like Newcastle on the day, it was not to be.
He said: “It whistled wide. It would have been lovely to see it hit the back of the net, but it wasn’t our day today.”
