Bruno Guimaraes adamant there is more to come from Newcastle

Skipper Bruno Guimaraes has insisted Newcastle’s journey has only just begun as the club prepares to mark four years under its current owners.

Amanda Staveley’s Saudi-backed consortium took up the reins at St James’ Park on October 7, 2021, and the Magpies’ rise since has brought a return to European football’s top table and a first major domestic trophy in 70 years.

However, Guimaraes, one of head coach Eddie Howe’s flag bearers since his £35million arrival from Lyon in January 2022, is adamant there is more to come.

He said: “We have changed everything. Two times Champions League in the last three seasons and winning a trophy, we have been consistent.

“But for us it’s not enough, we want more. We want to keep writing history. But it’s been an unbelievable journey so far.”

That journey continued on Sunday when the Magpies eased to a 2-0 Premier League victory over struggling Nottingham Forest on Tyneside to end a tough week, during which they had lost 2-1 at home to Arsenal before winning 4-0 at Union Saint-Gilloise, in satisfying style.

It was Guimaraes who set the ball rolling with a stunning 58th-minute strike against Forest, but victory was sealed by record signing Nick Woltemade’s nerveless penalty, his fourth goal in five starts.

The £69million Germany international has now scored in three successive league games at St James’ Park, a run which has gone some way to erasing the bitterness surrounding predecessor Alexander Isak’s controversial summer departure for Liverpool.

Guimaraes, who along with Joelinton headed off for Brazil’s friendlies in South Korea and Japan after the final whistle, said: “I have never seen a player that tall be so good with the ball, controlling it and controlling the tempo. He can play as a midfielder, to be fair.

“I’m pleased for him and it’s just the beginning. I hope he’s enjoying his journey here so far. I think he’s happy. Everyone in the club is happy and most importantly, the fans are happy with him.

“He just wants to take the responsibility to be the number nine and to put the ball in the net. He wanted to prove he’s that good and for me, he’s that good a player.

“He’s still young too. The gaffer is developing his talent. It’s just the beginning, he will shine even more.”

The only disappointment for Newcastle came with the news that Lewis Hall suffered a hamstring injury in Belgium in midweek which will be re-scanned in 10 days’ time, meaning he and fellow full-back Tino Livramento are sidelined at the same time.

Forest boss Ange Postecoglou left the north east on the back of a seventh game without a win since his appointment and under increasing pressure, but wondering what might have been.

Postecoglou said: “Again, big moments have let us down in the game in terms of the opportunities created, and there was always going to be a period in the game where they got a bit of momentum and a couple of things go their way and then we end up chasing the game.

“But even then, we had a couple of really big chances to get into it and we didn’t take them.”