Lucas Paqueta has been improving game on game and becoming the player we were all told of when we signed him for a club record fee.
His flicks and flashes of skill plus goals and assists are going to be hugely important against Manchester United tonight – another game from which is seems vital we take something.
Now the Brazilian has spoken in the club’s Last Word column of his feelings for the club despite the issues we have faced during his first season and the fans are very much to the forefront of his mind.
He realises just how tough tonight’s game could turn out to be against a side battling for a top four place but seems very confident we will make a real fist of things.
He is gaining confidence in himself within the League and declares himself as feeling very good on the pitch and was keen to say so.
He said: “We know that it will be a very difficult game on Sunday, another difficult game, but we’re at home and the support of our home fans will really help us. We’ll go out to get the three points.
I have never felt support like this at any other club. At other clubs the fans have not been as loyal – our fans are always behind us, supporting us. I’m so happy to be at a club with a fanbase like this one.
I have more confidence in every game, improving and growing as a player. I feel very good on the pitch regardless of the results. I want to finish the season in the best way possible so we can reach our objective which is to stay in the Premier League.
Ever since I arrived here the manager has given me a lot of support on and off the pitch. He tells us what he likes and what he doesn’t which helps us to do our best for the team and win games.
I played a bit further back against Manchester City – I like playing there because I touch the ball more and I’m more involved in the game. Of course we wanted to win but we knew how tough it was going to be against them, but there are definitely positives that we can take into the next game.
Casemiro is a great player and a friend, and I’m looking forward to playing against him on Sunday. He’s an example to follow as a person and a professional. He does so much to improve as a player when he’s not at the training ground – the way he recovers – I have seen it when I’m with the national team. He has all his routines that he does at home. I have learnt a lot from him. He’s a great person and obviously a great player too.
Scoring my first goal at Newcastle was a special moment. I was so happy. In football you need to score goals at key moments in games and I always want to score.
The goal I scored was in front of ours fans and I was so happy it went in. I hope that I can score more before the end of the season.
The celebration was something that U have done since I was young. I always celebrated goals doing back flips. I didn’t really know what else to do to celebrate and I was just so happy so that’s why I did it. I hope that I do many more!
We also speak about the Europa Conference League a lot – it’s the only trophy we have left to play for. Our fans deserve it. We want to make some history for the club and we will give our all to ensure we do.