Bruno answers doubters with a two-goal masterclass

NEWCASTLE United star Bruno Guimaraes gave the perfect answer to anybody questioning his commitment with one of his best performances yet in a Toon shirt.

Only last weekend, Bruno had labelled Newcastle’s season at the 23-game mark as “really disappointing” but at the City Ground on Saturday night there was a big hint that the campaign could yet explode into life in the run-in – with Bruno a key part of that. A third away win of the season coincided with Bruno’s sparkling display and first brace for the club since last term.

A £100million release clause in his contract left some observers doubtful over his long-term future on Tyneside. But Bruno is only interested in taking the club as high as possible in the table and is already talking about the 2024/25 season – at United.

He said last night: “Sometimes people speak a lot about me. I just speak a lot about football. I’m very happy here and I like how the fans think of me here.

“Let the people speak. We have to get Europe [football] again, try for Champions League. I know it’s difficult but definitely [we are aiming] for Europa League.

“We have been better away from home this season. We have a big game at home next week [against Bournemouth] and hopefully we can get the three points.

“I enjoy my time here. The fans have been unbelievable for me and my family. I hope this can keep going for a long time.”

Eddie Howe was also a happy man after the game but insists that while Bruno’s two goal haul was welcome, it’s not something he demands from the energetic midfield star. He said: “It’s not necessarily something we ask him to do but it’s more than welcome when he does chip in. The first one was a tough skill to execute and the second was a brilliant goal from range. “He has made the difference for us."

Meanwhile, Howe believes that the Brazilian star is a marked man in the Premier League these days. Bruno is aiming to beat his best ever seasonal tally of five goals for the Magpies (in 2021/22 and 2022/23) before the end of the current campaign but his manager knows that it is getting harder and harder for the Brazil international in games this season with his reputation now extremely high in England.

When asked if Bruno was getting back to his best, Howe said last night: “I think, like all players this season, he’s had moments where he’s been the difference-maker for us and there have been moments when games have been more difficult.

“He’s definitely targeted by teams now to stop him, and that is in part why we moved him and tried something different.”

Howe feels that Bruno’s presence in the team epitomises exactly what Newcastle are about these days. He said: “He’s got real quality, but underneath it all he is a humble lovely person as well and those two things, the player and the person, makes him a special man for us.

“When we can get him the ball higher up the pitch he has undoubted quality.”

Bruno is playing on a disciplinary tightrope with Bruno admitting he could not celebrate too wildly with fans as he is aiming to avoid a 10th yellow card of the season. Any caution will lead to an automatic twogame ban for Bruno and Howe is down to just three midfielders with Joe Willock, Joelinton and Elliot Anderson all injured.

Howe added: “It’s always a difficult balance for me, especially with only three recognised midfielders. We’re trying to find the right balance for those three players.”

Bruno celebrates his goals