Bruno Guimaraes and Chris Wood goals hand Newcastle victory

January signings Bruno Guimaraes and Chris Wood scored their first Newcastle goals to help fire Eddie Howe’s side to a sixth win in seven games with a 2-1 win over Southampton at St Mary’s.

Wood ended his longest goal drought in more than six years of 14 games to cancel out Stuart Armstrong’s goal before Guimaraes bagged the winner with a sublime piece of solo skill.

Newcastle handed Brazilian midfielder Guimaraes a first Premier League start since his £40m transfer-window move from Lyon.

Saints, bidding to bounce back from Saturday’s 4-0 thumping at Aston Villa, welcomed back Ghanian centre-back Mohammed Salisu from injury.

Newcastle started brightly, forcing an early corner and with Jacob Murphy fizzing in an inviting cross that Jan Bednarek managed to clear before Wood could reach it.

Saints’ first meaningful attack came in the 20th minute when Oriol Romeu’s raking pass from the halfway line sent Armando Broja racing in behind the Newcastle defence.

Goalkeeper Martin Dubravka did well to come quickly off his line and steal the ball off Broja’s toes and turn it behind.

James Ward-Prowse’s resulting corner found Romeu in space on the edge of the penalty area, but the Spaniard ballooned his shot high over the crossbar.

Broja came close again in the 23rd minute but could only scuff his shot wide after being teed up by strike partner Che Adams following some sloppy play in midfield by Jonjo Shelvey.

Newcastle suddenly looked under pressure and Armstrong fired the home side in front two minutes later.

Kyle Walker-Peters floated in a delicious left-wing cross which was headed back across goal by Mohamed Elyounoussi for Armstrong to nod beyond the exposed Dubravka from four yards.

Saints’ lead lasted just seven minutes before