The Magpies secured a crucial 2-1 win over Manchester United on Wednesday evening
06:00, 06 Mar 2026Updated 07:56, 06 Mar 2026
William Osula replaces Anthony Gordon against Man United as Yoane Wissa was kept on the bench
It was a moment that will surely be etched into Newcastle United folklore.
Down to 10 men, with the historical significance attached to playing a Manchester United side who were unbeaten under Geordie manager Michael Carrick and with Newcastle’s European qualification prospects hanging by a thread, 22-year-old forward Will Osula stepped off the bench to make himself the hero.
The Danish youngster scampered the full length of the pitch, left-Manchester United left-back Tyrell Malacia flummoxed with a double stepover before expertly whipping a left-footed effort around Harry Maguire and beyond the reach of Red Devils goalkeeper Senne Lammens.
His 90th minute strike was only his second Premier League goal of the season and it raised the roof off a fervent St James’ Park crowd as it put the seal on a crucial 2-1 win.
But with the stakes so high and Newcastle needing a fresh impetus off the bench, it was perhaps telling that it was Osula Eddie Howe turned to and not his £55million summer signing Yoane Wissa.
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Wissa remained an unused substitute during the win over Michael Carrick’s side and he has not had the desired impact Newcastle thought he would have had after a 20-goal season for Brentford last season.
His lack of a meaningful pre-season, coupled with the fact he picked up a serious knee injury just days after completing his transfer deadline day move, certainly haven’t helped his cause but as we head into the final stretch of the season, Wissa still doesn’t look sharp enough or fit enough to meaningfully contribute to Newcastle’s cause on a consistent basis.
The 29-year-old has scored just three times for the club since making his long-awaited debut in December, with his last goal coming way back on January 21 in Newcastle’s 3-0 win over PSV in the Champions League.
Given the money Newcastle spent to prise him away from West London, that return is far from good enough. When you also consider a lot of criticism fell the way of Nick Woltemade, who has routinely been available for selection and scored 10 goals in all competitions since his £69million move from Stuttgart, it is a mystery Wissa has escaped similar levels of scrutiny.
Of course, the fact Newcastle continue to compete on three fronts should present the DR Congo international more opportunities to prove his worth in the final three months of the campaign. The potential of helping his country qualify for this summer’s World Cup later this month will be a huge motivation, too.
But Osula’s exploits on Wednesday arguably could have placed Wissa further down the pecking order up front. It is already a damning indictment of him that Howe has preferred using Anthony Gordon, a winger by trade, as his first choice central forward.
The stage is set for Wissa to change minds. While writing him off completely is far too premature, Newcastle would have liked to have seen a lot more return on their £55million investment than they have seen so far.
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