Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes provided the ideal response to those doubting his dedication by putting on one of his greatest performances while wearing a Toon shirt.
Bruno had only described Newcastle’s season as “really disappointing” last week, but Friday night at the City Ground, there was a strong indication that the campaign may yet spring to life in the final stretch, with Bruno playing a crucial role in that.
His brilliant performance and his first brace for the team since last season coincided with the team’s third away victory of the season.
Some commentators expressed doubts about his long-term future on Tyneside due to a £100 million release clause in his contract. Bruno, meanwhile, is solely concerned with moving the team up the standings, and he has already discussed the 2024–2025 campaign—at United.
He said: “Sometimes people speak a lot about me. I just speak a lot about football. I’m very happy here and I like how the fans think of me here.
“Let the people speak. We have to get Europe [football] again, try for Champions League. I know it’s difficult but definitely [we are aiming] for Europa League.
“We have been better away from home this season. We have a big game at home next week [against Bournemouth] and hopefully we can get the three points.
“I enjoy my time here. The fans have been unbelievable for me and my family. I hope this can keep going for a long time.”
Bruno’s two goals after the game made Eddie Howe delighted as well, but he insisted that it’s not something he expects from the dynamic midfield star.
He said: “It’s not necessarily something we ask him to do but it’s more than welcome when he does chip in. The first one was a tough skill to execute and the second was a brilliant goal from range.
“He has made the difference for us.”
It’s hard to see Newcastle match their success of last season when they qualified for the Champions League. Their inconsistent form, also worsened by the injuries they have suffered, have not helped their cause.
The club wanted to turn their season around by bringing in new players in January but Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules stopped them from doing that.
