Eddie Howe's brilliant Newcastle United verdict on Bruno Guimaraes

Guimaraes, handed his first start at St James’s Park, was superb in tonight’s 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers. The game was decided by a second-half penalty from Chris Wood.

The result lifted the club up to 10th in the Premier League table – and stretched the gap between the club and the bottom three to 10 points.

Guimaraes, signed from Olympique Lyonnais in January, left the field late in the game to a standing ovation.

"Bruno Guimaeres is going to be a mainstay of the team,” said head coach Howe. “The difficulty is that we went on that winning run, and it was difficult to break the midfield up. He got his opportunity today, and I thought he was excellent.

"He offered a different dimension. I’m excited by what he can bring to the team.

Reflecting on the result, Howe told Sky Sports: "It was the kind of game we expected it to be. Wolves make it difficult for you. We had our moments. It took a penalty to win the game, but the players gave everything again.

"I’m so pleased for Chris Wood. You could see him filling in on the left of midfield. He’s a willing lad. The goal will do wonders for him. I’m pleased he stepped up and took it.

"We still have work to do, but that was a massive step forward tonight. I hope there’ll be a different Newcastle in the future, but we have to play a certain way to get results at the moment."