Newcastle United defender Amar Dedic ended the 1-1 draw with Fulham with a smile after fans serenaded him with a new chant referencing his recent bow and arrow incident. The full-back was named in the starting line-up by head coach Matthias Jaissle, who chose to protect his £29.5m signing after the player was stopped and searched by police in Northumberland last week.
Jaissle backs Dedic after police stop
Dedic, an outdoors enthusiast, was stopped and searched by police after taking his bow and arrows to a Northumberland beauty spot. Jaissle, who previously worked with Dedic at RB Salzburg, did not discipline the Bosnia international over what was deemed an innocent mistake. After being informed of the incident, in which Dedic fully co-operated with police, Jaissle told the player to get on with his work and did not hesitate to include him in the starting line-up against Fulham.
Dedic had the most touches of any outfield player for Newcastle with 57 and completed 35 passes, also delivering a dangerous cross for William Osula, who missed a second-half chance. The Newcastle fans created a chant for the full-back, singing: "He's Dedic you know, he's class with a bow and arrow." at Craven Cottage.
Fans chant echoes at Central Station
By the time Toon fans got to Central Station late last night, Dedic's name was reverberating around the 176-year-old Grade I listed building, ironically as police watched over fans returning to Newcastle. As Dedic made his way over to the away end, chanting his new song, he walked back to the tunnel with a smile on his face.
Jaissle was asked about the week that was and said: "He played well, right? It (the bow and arrow incident) didn’t affect him. He was not aware of the rules. We don’t need to make a big deal out of it."
Murphy ends goal drought
The strike from former Norwich City man Jacob Murphy was his first goal in 19 Premier League games, ending his frustrations in the capital. This was Murphy's first goal since the 3-2 home loss to Everton in February, and notably his first Toon goal in the top-flight with his left foot. It is not the first time Murphy has netted with his left peg, having scored against Qarabag in the Champions League last season in Baku and away to Morecambe in the EFL Cup in 2019.
Jaissle looks to reflect and build
Newcastle signed off for the international break with a point, taking them to 12 points from 10 games. It is hardly the ideal start for Jaissle, but not disastrous either. The German head coach's side will sit in mid-table over the pause for UEFA Nations League action. When asked what the next fortnight holds, he said: "It's now time to reflect and recharge also with a long season ahead of us, then pull out the things we need to improve and there are a couple of aspects. But today showed a clear direction in the right way so we can build on that."
He has matched Eddie Howe's 12 points from the first 10 games last season, and this is the joint lowest total from a full campaign in which PIF have been in charge. The Magpies are only three points behind the seasons in which they finished in Champions League slots, and it is still early days.
