Alan Shearer has praised Magpies forward Joelinton as the ex-Hoffenheim man powered in Newcastle's second goal in a back-and-forth half against Brentford.
"Joelinton superb in that first half. Thoroughly deserved his goal," Shearer wrote on Twitter.
Newcastle had got their opening game under Eddie Howe - managing the game over the phone due to testing positive for Covid - underway with an early goal as Jamaal Lascelles headed the home side ahead from a corner.
Brentford then came back strongly, as Ivan Toney drove the ball through Karl Darlow to equalise just minutes later. The Brentford striker thought he'd made it 2-1 as he followed up a saved Bryan Mbeumo effort, only to be flagged offside.
However, the Bees did take the lead shortly afterwards as they took advantage of a defence which still looks leaky and left back Rico Henry headed in from a Sergi Canos cross.
Newcastle had looked dangerous on the attack throughout though and they equalised through Joelinton as a loose ball fell to him in the box. The forward has struggled for goals in a black and white shirt but his finish was unerring and it meant that Newcastle went into half-time on level terms.
Although the Brazilian cost Newcastle almost £40 million , this was only his 11th goal for the club and he will hope that his form will be ignited under Howe and the new manager's attacking style will be the catalyst for him reproducing the kind of form he showed in the Bundesliga.
