Toon boss backs his side to play better in coming games and “score more goals”
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe is delighted with new signing Nick Woltemade after the German striker got off to a perfect start in his Newcastle career.
The 23-year-old summer arrival from Stuttgart scored a first-half header that helped the Magpies secure their first Premier League victory of the campaign with a 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers at St James’ Park on Saturday.
Woltemade scored his decisive goal in the 29th minute, rising above Emmanuel Agbadou to glance home Jacob Murphy’s cross from the right.
It gave hope to Newcastle supporters and no doubt the manager himself that the German can be the suitable replacement for Alexander Isak, who left the club and joined Liverpool this summer.
“It was great to see Nick score on his debut,” said Howe. “Very strong, I was very pleased with him. Tactically he understood what we wanted. It was a shift for him, he had cramp at the end. He took his goal brilliantly.”
The result ended Newcastle’s three-game winless run and eased early pressure on Eddie Howe, whose side had opened the season with two draws and a defeat.
“I thought we played pretty well after the first five minutes,” said Howe. “The fact we haven’t won a game puts more pressure on you in the latter stages.
“The win was all that mattered but we’d love to win in a better style and score more goals. We are defending well as a team.”
Woltemade was not the only striker Newcastle signed this summer, as they also managed to secure former Brentford No 9 Yoane Wissa. However, the DR Congo international is yet to make his debut as he recovers from an injury sustained on international duty.
Asked whether Woltemade and Wissa can fit in the same starting XI, Howe said: “It’s something we can do and we will look at. I don’t know if we want to change the tactical framework too much but I’ll never rule anything out.”
