Steve Bruce says he is delighted with the attitude of Joe Willock after the Arsenal loanee was dropped to the bench on Sunday.
The 21-year-old responded in great fashion by scoring a vital equaliser within minutes of coming on against Tottenham Hotspur to score what he described as a "sweet" goal against the North London rivals of his parent club.
Bruce must now decide whether Willock has done enough to return to the starting line-up against Burnley ahead of Sunday's high noon clash in Lancashire.
Bruce said: "I'm delighted for Joe – he wasn't happy when he wasn't in the starting line-up.
"However, he's come on and got us the goal.
"I'm delighted he's got a goal against Tottenham, which will obviously please him, being an Arsenal player."
Bruce returned to some of the more experienced players against Spurs with Matt Ritchie recalled and joining 2017 promotion stalwarts Jamaal Lascelles, Paul Dummett, Dwight Gayle and Jonjo Shelvey in the side.
The Toon boss has dismissed any talk of unrest and a lack of team spirit in the dressing room.
Bruce added: "There are some of the things that are labelled against you which are not right.
"You can be criticised for tactically not being right or this, that and the other, but the one thing you can't - with this group of players, anyway, who have been here a few years – is the spirit amongst them.
"Yes, they don't play well enough at times, but the spirit and the attitude and the determination – a lot of them have been here a long time."
