A delighted Alan Shearer hailed the debut of Matty Longstaff as Newcastle's brothers-in-arms inspired a brilliant win for the Magpies.
Newcastle won at home for the first team this season in front of the Gallowgate. It was the perfect response to last weekend’s 5-0 thrashing at Leicester and Shearer was much more impressed by what he saw from the Magpies.
But he reserved rare praise for the two brothers who stoked the team's midfield engine room.
On MOTD2 Shearer said: “Well done Steve Bruce, well done to all the players because that performance and today had everything that was missing last weekend at Leicester. It had energy, it had legs in midfield, it had good shape and dangerous at times on the counter attack but the stars of the show were the two brothers in midfield, Sean and Matty. Wow!
“From the first minute Sean got stuck in, won the ball and put Newcastle on the front foot. It’s what they did. It got the crowd up, (it gave them) a little bit of energy that was obviously missing last weekend and it was a sign of things to come (in the first minute).
“Matty wasn’t frightened to have a go at all. Look at his brother before he hit the bar saying ‘Go on, have a shot Wor Kid – just hit it!’ And he did! Steve described it as the enthusiasm of him and his brother spraying the ball around – both of them can do that, no problem at all if you give them time on the ball.
“Sean’s long ball to Almiron, a lovely weighted pass – he didn’t need to take that touch, just hit it now. But the pass from Sean was fantastic. They linked well together, they understand each other’s game and it was keeping Newcastle going forward.
“His goal: what a moment for him, what a moment for his family. What an unbelievable strike and momen for him. It will stay with him for his whole life.
“The two of them were fantastic and his Dad should be very, very proud. What an unbelievable day for them and a great day for Newcastle, because they needed that result.”
Martin Keown went one step further, saying Matty reminds him of Paul Scholes.
“The young lad should be knocking on Steve Bruce’s door and saying ‘Why didn’t you play me sooner?’ He played more passes, covered more distance and really put in a performance.
“It was like a Paul Scholes. I know they’re big boots to fill but him and his brother were like Scholes and Carrick. They’re the important ingredient in this Newcastle team now.”
