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Mark Douglas

Callum Wilson is Newcastle's best striker since Demba Ba

Cool hand Callum Wilson was at it again last night.

The Newcastle striker had two shots and with his only effort on target, he dispatched with aplomb past Vicente Gueita.

Alan Shearer was positively purring about Wilson's contribution and no wonder: the summer signing is Newcastle's most clinical forward since Demba Ba.

Others have been good - Salomon Rondon was the talisman of Rafa Benitez's improving side in 2019 and Papiss Cisse's purple patch was a sight to behold - but none can compare to Wilson's single-minded obssession with scoring goals. The runs he makes, his mentality and the way he makes the most difficult thing in the sport look so simple mark him out as a special player in an unremarkable black and white era.

To be a good goalscorer is tough but in a Newcastle side that is accused of conservatism in their tactics it is even more difficult.

And Gareth Southgate is missing a trick if he isn't keeping a very close eye on him ahead of this summer's delayed Euros.

Wilson's stats tell you everything about why he should be in the reckoning. Only Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Jamie Vardy of his compatriots have more goals - and one of them has retired from international duty.

But dig deeper and it's even more impressive. He has scored seven goals from 15 shots - a goal conversion rate of 47%, which is the best record of any English striker barring Vardy.

His goals per game, shot accuracy and conversion rate are better than Harry Kane and he's scored more goals per minute as well. And Kane is surrounded - with respect to Newcastle's squad - by much better players.

That Tammy Abraham, with three goals, a 21% conversion rate and a host of more creative players around him, is preferred by Southgate is bewildering.

Wilson tweeted on Saturday morning that "patience is the key". With respect to his England chances, now is the time.

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