It was a very mixed afternoon for Kieran Trippier at Newcastle United on Saturday.
The England international was handed an immediate debut following a £12 million transfer from Atletico Madrid on Friday morning.
However, it was a rotten encounter for Newcastle, who were dumped out of the FA Cup by a certain Cambridge United.
The League One outfit recorded a shock 1-0 victory on Tyneside and although Trippier posted a solid performance, overall what a miserable occasion for the former Tottenham Hotspur defender.
Despite the defeat, Trippier attempted to preserve a sense of integrity directly after the encounter.
According to The Chronicle, the Newcastle new boy was spotted trying to convince teammates to applaud the home support at St James’s Park, only for a handful of players to ignore him.
On a positive note, at least Newcastle have one less competition to worry about.
Remember, Eddie Howe’s outfit are still 19th in the Premier League standings and relegation is a very serious and realistic outcome.
However, Newcastle are only two points adrift of safety at the moment and with Trippier signed up, the Magpies will be expected to climb the table.
Being eliminated from the FA Cup means that the St James’s Park outfit ought to have zero distractions between now and the end of the campaign.
Obviously losing to Cambridge is embarrassing but maybe, just maybe, this defeat is considered a blessing in disguise come May.
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