Danny Welbeck sends Sunderland message fans will love after brace vs Newcastle United
Ex-Sunderland loanee Danny Welbeck scored twice against Newcastle United on Saturday
Brighton and Hove Albion striker Danny Welbeck has admitted that he has “got a lot of love” for Sunderland after bagging a brace against the Black Cats’ bitter rivals, Newcastle United, at the weekend.
The veteran attacker was the match-winner at the Amex Stadium on Saturday afternoon, putting his side into a narrow lead just before half-time, and then striking late on to secure a 2-1 victory that leaves Albion 10th in the table, with 12 points from their opening eight matches.
For their part, Newcastle have amassed nine points since the start of the campaign, and are currently 14th in the table after a relatively slow start during which they have won just twice.
And on Saturday afternoon, it was Welbeck who proved to be a notable thorn in their side, bagging his fourth and fifth career goals against the Magpies. In celebration of his first effort, the 34-year-old blew a kiss towards the travelling Toon support, and speaking after the final whistle, explained his reason for doing so.
What did Danny Welbeck say about Sunderland after Newcastle United brace?
When asked about his celebration during a post-match interview, Welbeck - who spent the 2010/11 campaign on loan with Sunderland - said: “Their [Newcastle’s] fans have a little bit of banter with me during games. I’ve got a lot of love for the Stadium of Light and Sunderland as well. They played a massive part in my development as a youngster coming through.”
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The former Manchester United man also explained why he found himself involved in a heated exchange with Newcastle forward Nick Woltemade after his second goal, adding: “He was kind of telling me to hurry up after the second goal, to get back so they can restart. It's part of the game but it was nice to get the two goals and, most important, the three points puts us in a nice position going into next week.
“We had a few words but it's football and there’s heated discussions, there's moments on the pitch where things are said. But it’s only football. Once the final whistle is blown, it's a bit of sportsmanship and that’s all it is.”
What did Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe say about Danny Welbeck?
Reflecting on Welbeck’s decisive brace, Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said: “The two goals he [Welbeck] scored today, you have to give him a lot of credit, especially the first one. To have the composure he did to finish past Nick [Pope] who made a couple of good saves in the first half. To still be playing the way that he is, is a credit to him. But I would rather focus on my players.”