'What a player' - Malick Thiaw gives Newcastle United teammate quality nickname after win v Crystal Palace
Newcastle United 2-0 Crystal Palace: Bruno Guimaraes and Malick Thiaw scored to get The Magpies off to a winning start in 2026.
Newcastle United moved up to ninth in the Premier League table following a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace at St James’ Park on Sunday.
After a goalless first half, Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes headed the home side in front with his seventh goal of the season. The Brazilian is now The Magpies’ joint top goalscorer in the Premier League this season along with Nick Woltemade.
Guimaraes’ corner was then turned in by Malick Thiaw from close range in what was the defender’s first goal at St James’ Park since his summer arrival from AC Milan.
Bruno Guimaraes reacts to Newcastle United win
Guimaraes scored in the 3-1 win over Burnley to end 2025 and helped Newcastle make it back-to-back victories with another goal against Palace on Sunday.
Following the match, the 28-year-old midfielder took to Instagram to write: “We finished 2025 in the best possible way and started 2026 even better! Happy with the three points and another goal. We’re giving everything we have to achieve our objectives this year. Howay the lads!”
Guimaraes’ Newcastle teammate and fellow goalscorer Thiaw responded with a fitting nickname for the Brazilian as he commented: “Magician.”
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Malick Thiaw praises ‘incredible’ Bruno Guimaraes
Following the match, Thiaw told Premier League Productions: “Bruno Guimaraes is incredible. Off the pitch, a super nice guy - but on the pitch, his quality speaks for itself. Some things he does, I’m like wow - what a player!
“It was an amazing feeling to score my first goal at St James’ Park. So nice to celebrate in front of the fans - you could see the emotions in their faces!
“Mine and Nick’s celebration - we started this when he scored goals and we’ve kept it going since!”
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Eddie Howe on Bruno Guimaraes
Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe described his captain as a ‘very special player’ following the key contribution to Sunday’s important win.
It’s been almost four years since Guimaraes signed for The Magpies from Lyon in January 2022. Since then, the midfielder has made 182 appearances for the club, scoring 29 goals. Since his arrival, Newcastle have twice qualified for the Champions League while also ending a 70-year domestic trophy drought by winning the Carabao Cup.
“Bruno is a very special player, special person, special character,” Howe said. “He's got great energy.
“He played a captain's role because that game was always going to be decided by very key moments in the game and he's come up with a big one for us. And he's done it countless times.