Youngster’s Toon career ‘has stalled’

MATTY Longstaff has not kicked on and doesn’t look like the player who wowed fans and pundits on his Premier League debut, Graeme Souness claims.

The United youngster marked his first ever top-flight appearance with a memorable goal in Newcastle’s 1-0 win against Manchester United in October 2019.

Longstaff went on to make just 13 further appearances for his boyhood club last season but the North Shields lad has only won back his place in the starting lineup in recent weeks.

Indeed, there were 340 days between Longstaff’s final league start of last season, against Everton last January, and his first start of the current campaign, against Manchester City, on Boxing Day.

The England youth international’s progress has been hindered by a contract stand-off, niggling injuries and weight loss but the 20-year-old has again caught the eye with his energy and tenacity over the festive period.

Ahead of Newcastle’s 2-1 defeat against Leicester on Sunday, pundit Micah Richards admitted that he thought Longstaff ( below) ‘was going to be a superstar’ after his impressive Premier League debut against Man United and Souness was also impressed with the youngster’s performance that day.

“I can remember saying at that game, his first game, he looked as if he belonged,” the former Newcastle manager told Sky Sports.

“He was outstanding making his debut in a big game, a big atmosphere, and he looked as if he belonged.

“For whatever reason, he seems to have stalled. Contract situation...does that make a difference? I’m not sure.

“For whatever reason, we’ve not seen him kick on but, on that first game, he looked as if he was going to be a big player for Newcastle going forward.”