NEWCASTLE: Eddie Howe has hailed the impact of Callum Wilson after the striker’s two goals ensured Newcastle United ended their season on a winning note.
The frontman’s Turf Moor double, either side of halftime, saw the Magpies cruise to a 2-1 win and end the Clarets’ stay in the Premier League. It also meant Howe’s United ended their season in 11th place, on 49 points, a stark contrast to the landscape that presented itself upon his appointment, with Newcastle on just five points from their opening 11 games.
Wilson has been missing for much of United’s mid-season revival, having only started two games since December. But despite that, the England frontman still ended the season as the club’s top scorer on eight goals.
And Howe, despite earmarking a striker in the summer, knows how key a fit and firing Wilson will be for the Magpies next season.
“Wilson is an outstanding striker, an outstanding goalscorer at this level,” said Howe.
“We have missed him this season. That can’t be underestimated. What a big void that has been for us to fill, but I think Chris Wood has done a magnificent job for us.
“Wilson’s return — for him to come back and play two 90 minutes for us — is an incredible achievement, and his two goals today will make his summer better.
“He has returned looking better than ever.”
While Wilson finished his second 90 minutes in less than a week, it was a much shorter afternoon for Brazilian midfielder Joelinton.
A challenge midway through the opening period saw the player felled and a stretcher brought on.
Howe has explained that while the injury is not muscular or a break, and therefore not as serious as it could have been, it was a cut damaging enough to see the player sidelined.
“It didn’t look good. I could see by the way he went down, I thought ‘this could be serious’,” said the head coach.
“Apparently, it’s a deep laceration. I think the doctor, initially when he saw him, could see part of his bone, so I think it was quite deep.
“We knew immediately we had to withdraw him, but he’s in good spirits in the dressing room.
“He had a boot on and said he was OK, so that’s great news.”
Reacting to the game itself, which saw his former club Burnley fail to beat the drop, Howe said: “It was a tough game, a really difficult match for lots of different reasons. I don’t think it was necessarily one for the purest.
“Technically, I don’t think we were at our very best levels. But I think mentally we were and we had to be today because that was a very difficult finish to the game after Burnley scored, so full credit to my players for how they attacked the match and how we dealt with all the things surrounding the game.
“Today was a very, very difficult day for me as I do have emotional ties to Burnley through the supporters, players, club directors.
It is a very proud club. It hurts to see a club relegated; I have been in that position before.
“Big respect to them, I hope they bounce back quickly.”
Meanwhile, after a shortened summer break, Arab News understands United will return to pre-season training for the 2022/23 Premier League season on July 1.