How Newcastle United’s Elite Wingman Ensures Magpies Soar Again Anthony Elanga Joins Anthony Gordon, Harvey Burns and Jacob Murphy

If you took a family vacation around North Penneys this summer, you may have noticed the slightly more subdued atmosphere of Tyneside.

Newcastle United secured UEFA Champions League football despite a 1-0 defeat to Everton on the final day of the season, but the mood has been more calm ever since. Even Eddie Howe said the club suffered “difficult times” early in the preseason.

Only last year’s Top 4 Plus Manchester United have overtaken the black cat so far.

And to close it all, there is Alexander Isaac Saga.

So, with a 2-0 loss to the team’s recent friendly Atletico Madrid, Anthony Gordon played ahead of time, possibly giving fans hints on what to expect from Villa.

Come to think of it, the preseason wasn’t great either. Newcastle faced Carlisle and won 4-0, but that was the last time they had a taste of victory. Like their defeat to Atletico, Arsenal and K-League XI have lost, attracted to Tottenham Hotspur and Espanyol.

The pre-season season certainly doesn’t mean everything, but the club could have used one or two more wins to spread some positive vibe about the place.

Still, there is light in the darkness.

It will be in the shape of a Newcastle winger collection. Last season in the Premier League, the trio of Newcastle’s Gordon, Jacob Murphy and Harvey Barnes registered 46 goals and assists. Other teams in the league, with the exception of Liverpool (particularly Mohamed Sarah), did not have three wide players to match those numbers last season.

Isaac stole the headline with 23 goals — only Sarah scored more — but the work of the wingers around him was equally important to the way Newcastle played last season. They are important reasons why the Jordies are part of Champions League races every season.

And now they’re adding 17 G+As to their roster with Elanga’s signature. After leaving Manchester United in the summer of 2023, Elanga quickly proved why he deserves a regular starting spot in the Premier League with five goals and nine assists. Last season, he improved that tally with six goals and 11 assists as Nottingham Forest qualified for Europe.

Now he’s moving north and joining what was already a terrifying trio of wingers. When they tag D’Artagnan for their adventures, it’s like three musketeers, which is important. Not a musketeer, but a winger.

Newcastle is a winger’s club. From Chris Waddle and Kevin Keegan to from the 80s and 90s, David Ginora and Fautino Asprila in the 80s and 90s, to Norberto Solano, Jonas Gutierrez and Hatem Ben Alpha. St. James’ park is in its best when it’s broken at speed, with the ball at its feet and the winger roaring.

If possible, sit down and think about the days when you watched the game of Newcastle. These moments come when Newcastle scores the ball in his defensive third time and sprays the ball very quickly.

A gazelle-like winger galloping into the universe, or a turbo-charged magpie enhanced by some sort of science. A low cross across the six-yard box and striker, or perhaps more appropriately, the opposite winger, hits the ball into the net, and St. James erupts.

And imagine Elanga in black and white. Imagine we are at St. James, then imagine the noise, imagine the emotions. Now you’ll get it?

After that goal, Elanga told TNT Sports:

“All you want to do is just keep improving. I’m coming here and playing and developing every day. I know it’s not a finished article. I feel I can improve all areas of the game.”

Elanga is 23, Gordon 24 and Barnes 27. Murphy is the oldest in the group at 30 years old. This unit is not only one of the best in the entire league, but it can continue to get better in the coming years.

Elanga is a perfect addition to this club, this fanbase and this city, featuring a box of tricks and a bundle of energy. Newcastle fans, things are hard right now, but there’s hope on the horizon. Don’t flash a bit, you may miss him.

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