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Toon boss Howe hails Wilson: He kept nerve in drought... then answered shout!

CALLUM WILSON is hitting new heights as a goalscorer – because rival striker Alexander Isak’s arrival has provided renewed focus.

Eddie Howe has hailed Wilson’s record of eight goals in his past seven appearances ahead of today’s top-four clash with Arsenal.

Wilson was being written off as recently as March, after a goal drought had seen him score just once in 17 games all told.

But now the 31-year-old is in a rich vein of form, and Howe is not ruling out starting the

England man AND

Isak, with the

Swedish star on the left.

Two lethal cameos have seen Isak (right) in deadly shape, pushed out wide, with Wilson through the middle. Howe said: “Callum is certainly in great form. He is very focused at the moment. “He knows he has to be because of the competition he has around him.

“The biggest compliment I can pay him is that he has always been himself – bubbly, bright, laughing, joking, a really positive character.

“He is someone that the squad needs to be positive, because he is such a big personality within it. That has helped him when he has come on the pitch and delivered for us.

“I’m delighted for him, because he can react two ways to that challenge [of fighting for form and a starting place] – and he has responded how I hoped he would. But I think it’s natural at this elite level that players are under scrutiny.

“Their performances are broken down to the nth degree, and not just by me as the manager.”

As for Wilson adding to his tally of six England caps, Howe said: “That’s one for Gareth Southgate, but he is certainly doing everything he needs to do. He is scoring, and that always gets you in the headlines.”

On Isak’s role, Howe added: “They’ve been looking at each other and there’s a natural respect. There’s a healthy focus in training where you know that they’re competitive.

“They want to win if we’re doing a finishing drill – they both want to win whatever the exercise is, but that’s not just exclusive to them. That’s right through the squad.”

Newcastle have seen Liverpool getting close in the battle for the top four, and Brighton remain a threat. But Howe said: “I don’t lose sleep over it. Liverpool are a top team. Does it surprise me they go on a run? No. We have not focused on the form of teams and who is around us, just us.”

Howe is a big fan of visitors Arsenal’s way of playing, and added: “They’ve done it in a very clever way. They invested in a lot of young players – and then last summer, they sprinkled some experience in, players who had the experience of winning the league themselves.

“I thought they were very clever signings, and I think that elevated them to another level.

“Recruitment is key, but so is Mikel Arteta’s coaching.

“That’s elevated them even higher. It’s a combination of all those things that have led to their success this year.”