Eddie Howe was delighted with Nick Woltemade's goalscoring debut after landing the striker to replace Alexander Isak. Handed the impossible task of stepping into the void left by £125 million ($170m) Isak, the 23-year-old German silenced any doubters with a thunderous debut goal in front of a raucous St James’ Park crowd.
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From Isak’s shadow to instant hero
The £69m recruit rose high in the 29th minute to crash home a header from Jacob Murphy’s teasing cross, a strike that sealed a precious 1-0 win and lifted the Magpies to their first victory of the campaign. The Toon Army, all 52,145 of them, erupted as Woltemade wheeled away in celebration. Chants of his name echoed around the stadium as fans sensed they were witnessing the birth of a new talisman after losing Isak to Liverpool.
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Howe hails his new star
After the final whistle, Howe could barely hide his delight.
"It was a great moment for Nick," he said. "I was very pleased with how he played today. You saw his qualities, his technical qualities that we've been discussing and his intelligence but most importantly for a striker, when the ball comes into the box, you need to be there and he was.
"It was a great finish. I'm really pleased for him personally because that just settles him down and relaxes him, he's a very humble guy, he wants to do well and he's delighted to be here — I think it's a great start."
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Tonali the midfield heartbeat
If Woltemade provided the fireworks, Sandro Tonali delivered the hard graft. The Italian midfielder was tireless in the middle of the park, constantly snapping into tackles, recycling possession, and driving his side forward. On a day when Newcastle’s attack often misfired, Tonali’s engine and authority gave Howe’s side the backbone they needed to grind out the result.
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Eyes on Barcelona showdown
Thursday night brings a colossal test. Newcastle return to Champions League action with Spanish giants Barcelona rolling into town. For Woltemade, it will be his first taste of European football’s biggest stage. The Geordie faithful will be dreaming of more heroics, while Howe will be hoping his new signing carries his debut confidence onto the continental stage.
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