Callum Wilson has urged Newcastle to keep their heads screwed on as they attempt to cement a solid start to the new Premier League season.
The 28-year-old, a £20million summer signing from relegated Bournemouth, scored his fifth and sixth goals of the season on Sunday as the Magpies beat high-flying Everton 2-1 at St James’ Park.
Victory eased Steve Bruce’s men up to 11th with 11 points from their opening seven games, although with a tough trip to in-form Southampton to come on Friday evening, Wilson is taking nothing for granted.
Asked about the impact of the win over Caro Ancelotti’s men, he told NUFC TV: “It will give the boys a lift. Three points always shoots you up the league and 11 points now, it’s something to build from.
“At the minute, there’s a good togetherness about the group and results obviously help with that as well, so this week is going to be a good week.
“It’s a shorter period until our next game, but we’ll be professional, make sure we’ve got our heads screwed on and get ready for Southampton away.”
It was a good day for Newcastle to face Everton, who were without the suspended Richarlison and Lucas Digne and the injured Seamus Coleman and James Rodriguez before Ancelotti decided to rest England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
Sweden international Robin Olsen, standing in for Pickford, found himself picking the ball out of his net after Wilson converted a 56th-minute penalty following on a foul on him by Andre Gomes.
The Magpies striker had to keep his nerve as defender Yerry Mina did his best to put him off during a lengthy wait for the spot-kick to be taken, but did not falter when the time eventually arrived.
He said: “There was a little bit of shenanigans and handbags whilst I was waiting to take it, but you just put that to one side, stay professional and get the job done.
“It was a good battle between me and the centre-backs. I enjoyed that – I thrive off that, to be honest – and I came out on top, which is nice.”
Wilson doubled his tally with six minutes remaining, stabbing home substitute Ryan Fraser’s inviting cross on the line, although seeds of doubt were sown a minute into stoppage time when Dominic Calvert-Lewin reduced the deficit to spark a late, but ultimately fruitless, flurry.
Toffees defender Michael Keane admitted his side had to cut out the expensive mistakes which led to a second successive league defeat to make the most of Calvert-Lewin’s contribution at the other end.
Keane told the club’s official website: “We know we have to be better. We can’t rely on Dom scoring two or three every game, or a bit of luck in the last minute.
“We need to be better for 90 minutes, be more creative, take our chances when they come and tighten up at the back.”
