Eddie Howe hails impact of Bruno Guimaraes after win at Southampton

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe toasted £40m Bruno Guimaraes after the Brazilian scored a superb back-heel goal to fire the resurgent Magpies to a sixth win in seven games.

Strikes from Guimaraes, on his full Premier League debut, and fellow January buy Chris Wood sealed a comeback 2-1 victory at Southampton after Stuart Armstrong had headed the hosts in front.

Delighted Howe, whose side are now 10 points clear of the relegation zone, said: “I have to say I have not seen too much of that, back-heeling the ball in from that range.

“Goal-scoring is not something he has made a name for himself doing but he is capable of the unexpected and that is what he did.

“The goal was something we probably did not expect from him but shows his technical ability and he is going to be a huge player for us.

“I thought it was ‘welcome to the Premier League’ for Bruno, an end-to-end game, high in transitions and very physical.  It will be a really good experience for him.

He is a defensive midfielder, but a creative one. The reason we signed him (Guimaraes) was because we loved his way of playing, his eye for a pass and composure.- Eddie Howe

“He is a defensive midfielder, but a creative one. The reason we signed him was because we loved his way of playing, his eye for a pass and composure.”

After a bright start by Newcastle, Southampton slowly began to take control and went in front in the 25th minute.

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 Martin Dubravka from four yards.

Saints’ lead lasted just seven minutes before Wood rose above Mohammed Salisu to head Jonjo Shelvey’s hanging cross past Fraser Forster to make it 1-1.

Scotla