Team-mates making it easy for me – Gayle
Dwight Gayle says his Newcastle United team-mates are making scoring easy for him.
Gayle’s two goals against Barnsley on Tuesday night took his goal tally for the season to 11 ahead of Saturday’s home game against Ipswich Town.
Matt Ritchie, recalled to the starting XI at Oakwell, had a hand in both his strikes.
The first came from a Ritchie corner, and the winger picked him out with a ball from the halfway line for his second goal.
Midfielder Jonjo Shelvey had created his two goals against Brentford at St James’s Park three days earlier.
Asked if Ritchie and Shelvey were making his job easier, Gayle said: “Not just Jonjo and Matt, but we have 20 or so other players who can play those sort of balls.
“It’s fantastic to be playing in front of them.
“When I’m making my runs, I just sort of know that those balls are going to be coming as well.
“I said at the weekend it’s just fantastic to play in front of some of the quality we’ve got, and everybody just seems to be chipping in with their little assists at the moment. Hopefully, it continues.”
Gayle, favourite with the bookies to finish as the Championship’s top scorer, has scored seven goals in his last four games.
“I always have confidence in myself in front of goal, but I just need to be sure that I’m helping the team in other ways as well and getting us up the pitch better,” said the 25-yearold.
“I perhaps didn’t have the best first half, but I’m just trying to help the team as much as I can, and at the moment it’s getting results.”