The Magpies winger, who is on loan at Hillsborough until the end of the campaign, started for Garry Monk’s side on Wednesday, and it was his well-taken 58th-minute opener which looked to have the hosts on course for victory.

But a late Preston comeback turned the game on its head, with Scott Sinclair’s leveller 12 minutes from time starting the turnaround.

Jayden Stockley and Brad Potts then netted late on to hand Alex Neil’s men the points, meaning Murphy – who was replaced by Moses Odubajo just after the hour – and his side slip to 16th in the Championship table.

Elsewhere in the second tier, Freddie Woodman helped Swansea City keep their play-off push alive with a 3-1 victory at Birmingham City on Wednesday.

Steve Cooper’s charges fell behind to Lukas Jutkiewicz’s early header but Rhian Brewster, Ben Cabango and Jay Fulton struck back to earn the points.

Ever-present goalkeeper Woodman, who has 12 clean sheets to his name so far this term, played the full game at St. Andrew’s, with the Swans now just a point shy of the final Championship play-off berth.

Another United loanee, Achraf Lazaar, could be in action for Cosenza in Serie B when they travel to Spezia on Friday.