Football Pundit names Newcastle's academy star as the underrated Player of the Week

Newcastle United's current roster hosts several superstars who have amazing potential and talent. Be it star forward Isak, wing star Anthony Gordon, Captain Guimaraes, ace star Sandro Tonali, or defensive star Sven Botman, the Magpies club has some of the most distinguished players in Europe's Top 5 Leagues. However, still, there has been a name, even though not very popular but equally effective to these stars, that goes unnoticed most of the time.

Football Pundit names Newcastle's academy star as the underrated Player of the Week

This has been the case of Newcastle's academy graduate Sean Longstaff, who, despite exceptional contributions, goes underappreciated most of the time. Since making his first team debut in the 2018/19 season, the central midfielder has been crucial for Newcastle's core setup but still lacks the appreciation he deserves.

Even in the ongoing 2024/25 season, Longstaff was given limited game time for much of the recent phase until manager Howe decided to have him back in his starting plans. And as he has been doing, the 27-year-old, in his first two starts after a series of games starting from the bench, delivered crucial performances, helping his side win against Arsenal and Chelsea.

In spite of being surrounded by midfield superstars Guimaraes, Joelinton, and Tonali, Longstaff manages to put in exceptional effort for his side, marking a crucial impression on the fixture's result. Deservedly, football pundit Robbie Earle has named the midfield ace as the underappreciated player of the week for NBC Sports.

Pointing out Longstaff's importance in Newcastle's star-studded midfield, Earle mentioned,

"“Sean Longstaff and players like him deserve the credit that he can find a spot next to Guimaraes and Joelinton without Tonali. He can find a place ahead of people who you’ve spent millions of dollars on.""

- Robbie Earle

In fact, while some do really appreciate Longstaff's brilliance on the field, records certainly back the midfield ace, which state that in the last 7 games he started for Newcastle, they have never lost. Clearly, although manager Howe's squad boasts of some of the best midfield stars, Longstaff holds a special place in the same. Going forward, Newcastle fans would hope that the ace academy graduate does receive considerable appreciation for his display and feels ready to put in his all on the field.