NEWCASTLE BOURNEMOUTH

SALOMON RONDON wasn’t having it when told he had turned in a performance reminiscent of Alan Shearer.

“What?! I can never be compared to Shearer,” he said. “He’s a legend here, I have three goals, and he has 206!”

He showed bullying power, scored two goals, including a stunning bullet header, and his muscular hold-up play triggered Geordie memories of proper centre forwards like Shearer and Les Ferdinand.

But Rondon knows this was just a start. These were his first goals at St James’ Park, his first in the Premier League this season, and he wasn’t getting carried away.

He added: “I do like to make Shearer happy, because I know how big a fan of Newcastle he is. To play at his high level I must keep working.”

Shearer, watching at the BBC’s Match of the Day studio, had just tweeted his congratulations to Rondon. That itself was a thrill to the man who now wears the No.9.

Rondon said: “That’s amazing, that’s what can happen in football. I see the big legends are following me and that’s a pressure for me.

“The No.9 is too heavy! Especially at this club. Now I have to remain focused and keep scoring goals.”

Rondon, on loan from West Brom, is finding full fitness and his first-half goals showed why Rafa Benitez made him his No.1 choice to sign this summer.

Newcastle were excellent early on, aggressive and direct. After the break they shored up against waves of Bournemouth attacks after Jefferson Lerma scored in first-half injury time.

Defenders Fabian Shar and Federico Fernandez were superb, Martin Dubravka made