The simple Alan Shearer advice helping Newcastle United star to goalscoring feat

Sean Longstaff’s brace on Saturday made it three goals in as many games for the midfielder as he boasts an impressive record in front of goal this season. Longstaff has six goals in all competitions this season, his best return as a senior player since striking eight times in League One for Blackpool back in 2017/18.

Speaking on the Rest is Football podcast, Alan Shearer had revealed he had been giving the midfielder advice about finishing, advice that previously helped Longstaff fire his boyhood club to Wembley. The 26-year-old bagged a brace against Southampton in the second-leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final last season and revealed the simple advice that Shearer had given him about being cool in front of goal.

Longstaff said: “Alan is someone I've looked up to since I was a young lad and one of the best bits about him is he's always a phone call or a text away. With things like the finishing, I spoke to him a little bit and tried to get a few tips from him. There is no one better to get tips from and for him to be available to me is really special. It's still really surreal.

“It's probably a lot more simple than what people would think. The main thing is trying to hit the target. You sometimes think you have to reinvent the wheel and put it exactly in the top corner or a certain spot, but nine times out of 10 you don't have to do that.”