Almiron looks set to provide the quick fix

RECORD SIGNING HAS ALL THE ATTRIBUTES TO BE A PERFECT FOIL FOR RON

I SAW enough to bring me genuine hope and belief.

Miguel Almiron can, I am convinced, not only be a serious threat frightening defenders stiff with his electric pace but an ideal partner for Salomon Rondon - and boy has he needed one.

I watched Almiron very closely when he came on at Wolves and I loved what I saw.

The guy gets his head up, has an eye for goal and can play colleagues in.

He buys space and opportunity for those around him.

Rondon does not have the pace to get away from defenders but what he does do is place his huge frame between them and the ball, dig in his feet and wait for support to arrive.

Unfortunately, all season it has arrived slowly - but with Almiron comes hope.

At last Rondon will have a mate at his shoulder.

If I was impressed with Almiron, I also thought Newcastle were quite brilliant at Molineux and were cruelly robbed of what would have been an epic victory. It was so very cruel but, yes, it was a clanger not a foul.

Martin Dubravka has been brilliant all season but it was his mistake I am afraid rather than the referee not spotting a foul when it would have been easier to blame someone else.

If Almiron was good, what about Sean Longstaff?

At Christmas time he was fifth-choice central midfielder but is now the first name on the team sheet.

The kid is an absolute diamond.

He is unflustered, he keeps things simple, as all great ball players do, and he sees things. If you put your finger under his chin at any time during a match you could not lift it up.

His head is always high and his vision like a lighthouse. Newcastle have had cruel luck of late after beating champions Manchester City but I am convinced they will stay up. They have only two matches left against top-six clubs whereas last season they had half a dozen at this stage.

All they have to do is continue playing as they have and add a bit more ruthlessness in front of goal (which is where Almiron comes in) and they will be all right.

By the way, like so many I was terribly sad to learn this week of the death of Gordon Banks.

What a legend and what a gentleman.

I just missed him in the England side – my two goalkeepers Peter Shilton and Ray Clemence were not bad either – but I played against Banks at league level. I know exactly how Pele felt in 1970!

I remember playing for Newcastle against Stoke and hitting a shot from 22 yards with all the power I could muster – and I was pretty good on power.

The moment I hit it I knew it was in and turned away, my arm raised in celebration.

However, out of the corner of my eye I saw the referee not pointing towards the centre circle for a goal but towards the corner flag.

Banks had somehow got across and tipped the ball round the post.

It was the greatest save I never saw!