Alan Shearer has heaped praise on how Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has eased Bruno Guimaraes into his side.
Magpies fans will have been eager to see their expensive new signing straight away when he joined from Lyon inn January, but Howe has been careful not to rush the Brazilian, and it now seems to be paying off.
Shearer is happy to see how well Howe has judged the player’s settling-in period.
“(Eddie Howe) has (eased Guimaraes into the Premier League) really well,” the Toon legend said on Optus Sport.
“A lot of the fans have been shouting for him to be in the starting XI for a while, including myself, because when he has been on, he’s showed that little bit of quality.
“I understand why Eddie Howe has done what he’s done in terms of holding him back, letting him have a look from the sidelines, letting him get used to the pace of the game.
“He has travelled to international games which would have tired him out also. This was the perfect night to put him in.
“It doesn’t matter whether it was forced or not, he’s had to make the decision, he’s made it.
“It wasn’t a pretty team performance tonight but he was the one that added that little bit of quality in that midfield.”