‘HE’S WORTH EVERY PENNY’

STEVE BRUCE says Callum Wilson has already repaid his £20million transfer fee.

Striker Wilson’s double against Everton won the game for Toon and manager Bruce revealed he insisted the club buy him.

Bruce said: “Callum is certainly value for money already. The second goal he scored, he is in the six-yard box, and he bundles them in. He has an instinct. He wants to score.

“He is upset I took him off with five minutes to go. He has matched our top scorer from last year.

“He has been a big asset to us. “I said to the chief exec, ‘Can we find someone who is a stick-on for goals?’. Callum has proved that for five years at Bournemouth.

“If you can get a player who has a pedigree in this league, then it helps.

“The board understood and aaccepted it, and that is wwhy we did that deal.”

Newcastle have had their best start to a campaign since 2011 when they finished fifth.

And Bruce added: “We played against a team top of the league, with one of the best managers in ththe world.ld TheTh tactics worked well.

“We have had tough games of late. It has been a steady return from a difficult start.

“We deserved the victory. We have to be brave with the ball, take it and cause a threat. I have been trying to get that for months.”

There has been a penalty awarded to either side in each of the last four Prem games held at St James’ Park, the longest run at this stadium in the top flight since a five-game stretch ending in October 2008.