Joselu aims to keep scoring after netting in Newcastle United's draw with Swansea City

Joselu's started the New Year as he means to go on '“ by finding the net.
Newcastle United's Joselu (right) celebrates scoring.Newcastle United's Joselu (right) celebrates scoring.
Newcastle United's Joselu (right) celebrates scoring.

The Newcastle United striker scored his fourth Premier League goal of the season in Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Swansea City.

Joselu cancelled out Andre Ayew’s opening strike four minutes after coming off the bench.

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All of the £5million signing’s goals have come at home. And the 27-year-old was happy to make another important contribution at St James’s Park.

“For me, it’s very important,” said Joselu, signed from Stoke City last summer.

“For every striker, it’s important to score goals, and more when you take points, and better when you win, but one point is better than nothing.

“It’s my first goal in 2018, but I want to score more to try to help the team, the squad, and to stay in the Premier League next season.”

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Joselu had watched from the bench as Newcastle missed a series of first-half chances.

Dwight Gayle had a header saved and put another wide, while Ayoze Perez and Paul Dummett also had opportunities in front of goal.

Ayew put Swansea ahead in the second half.

“We have good players and very good strikers and a very good squad,” said Joselu.

“You’re very nervous on the bench, but that’s football and the Premier League.

“When you miss chances and concede goals, you lose points.

“We need to stay together. We need to keep going.”

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Joselu has been in and out of Benitez’s starting XI in recent weeks.

“I try to do my best every game,” said the former Spain Under-21 international.

“The manager told me I was on the bench. It’s a decision for the manager.

“We need to stay together. We’re a team. All the players are happy.

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“I try to do my best every game, and when I come in I try to help the squad. I try to help Newcastle United. That’s my job. I had one chance and I scored. We’re happy for that, but (we) keep going.

“When you create chances and don’t score, it’s normal you’re frustrated. That’s football.”

Newcastle, 15th in the league and three points above the relegation zone, take on runaway leaders Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola’s side suffered their first league defeat of the season on Sunday, when they were beaten 4-3 by Liverpool at Anfield.

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And Joselu and his team-mates are braced for a difficult afternoon.

“This game is over – we’re thinking of the next game,” said Joselu. “We know how difficult the next game is, but in football everything is possible.

“We play on a difficult pitch. We play away. I think we take more points away this season, but we keep going. We need to stay together.”

City beat United 1-0 at St James’s Park late last month thanks to a goal from Raheem Sterling.