Steve Bruce reveals what Miguel Almiron told him after scoring his first Newcastle United goal

Almiron opened his Newcastle United account in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Crystal Palace.

The Paraguay international, signed in January, scored with a half-volley late in the game to lift the roof at St James’s Park.

And the result lifted the club up to ninth place in the Premier League ahead of the Boxing Day fixture away to Manchester United.

“I was delighted for him,” said Bruce, United’s head coach. “He said in his broken English ‘thank **** for that’, something like that. I crushed him I think. It was something like that. I replied with ‘******* great, you’re not wrong!’.

“His English is better than he lets on. He smiles every day, trains as if it’s his last day. He’s one of them who’s a joy to work with. Above all, he’s a bloody good footballer, but he needed to add that goal – and he’s done that now.

“The players are all delighted for him – they have celebrated with him and the supporters. They’re delighted with him.

“Sometimes it does help if you cant speak the language, you can’t read about it. My staff have been tireless with him. They’ve kept him going, and he wants to work, work, work.

“You’ve all watched him. We all know he’s a good player, a bloody good player. He’s a great pro, popular. If you look at his running statistics, physically, he’s huge in what he does for the team, so you want him to do well. Maybe playing him in midfield loosened him up a bit, so food for thought.”

Almiron struck after Andy Carroll headed a Fabian Schar cross down to him.

“It was a great finish,” said Bruce. “It’s pleasing where something on the training ground comes off. A great cross from Schar, and typical Andy. It was a great finish from Miggy.”

Almiron had been left out against Burnley the previous weekend after feeling his hamstring.

Bruce said: “It was a big decision not to play him last week, because he would have played had it been down to him. He stayed OK.”