Will Osula: Everything Wayne Rooney said as Newcastle star hailed after display vs Brighton
Will Osula has found himself in Wayne Rooney’s spotlight after he scored in Newcastle United’s 3-1 win over Brighton on Saturday afternoon.
The young striker has been trusted to start games by Eddie Howe of late, and he rewarded his boss by heading home the opener for the Magpies in the 12th minute at St James’ Park.
Dan Burn added a second for the hosts midway through the first half, before Jack Hinshelwood gave the visitors life just after the hour mark.
However, Harvey Barnes found the net to seal the victory for the Tynesiders in stoppage time, as they finally brought their dismal four-game losing run in the Premier League to an end.
Osula led the line for Newcastle in their victory, and his efforts saw him singled out for praise by Rooney on Saturday night.
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VISIT THE NEWCASTLE MATCH HUBWayne Rooney: Will Osula showing ‘really positive signs’
Osula started the season as Newcastle’s fourth-choice to lead the line centrally, but he has surprised everyone to become Howe’s main man up front in recent weeks.
The 22-year-old has been trusted to start in each of his team’s last four matches, and has responded with three goals in that time, to take his league tally to five for the season.
| Stats | Osula Total |
| Minutes | 68 |
| xG | 0.78 |
| Chances Created | 1 |
| Shots on Target | 2 |
| Big Chances Missed | 1 |
| Duels Won | 1/7 (14%) |
His performance caught the eye once again on Saturday, as he gave the Brighton backline a difficult afternoon throughout his 68 minutes of action.
Osula’s efforts saw Rooney heap praise on him during his analysis on Match of the Day, as he clearly feels that the starlet is on the right trajectory to become a key player long-term.
“Osula is a bit unorthodox, but he plays with great energy. He’s always willing to run in behind, and that’s the one thing defenders don’t like,” the former Manchester United forward said.
“It’s a really good header (for his goal) and a good leap in the middle of the goal.”
However, Rooney also highlighted a moment that shows where Osula needs to work on his game, as he broke away through the inside right channel during the first half, but could only lash an effort high and wide.
“This is where he can get better; he’s direct and he’s raw. Can you chop it back or bring a teammate into play?
“He’s showing signs of being a really good player. He needs to learn and improve as all young players do, but he’s showing really positive signs.”
Yoane Wissa awful for Newcastle yet again
Yoane Wissa has struggled at Newcastle since his £55million move from Brentford last summer, and his issues were evident again when he replaced Osula on Saturday.
The second-half cameo was a good opportunity for the 29-year-old to prove his worth, with his team on top and looking in confident form.
However, he failed to make any sort of impact on the game in the latter stages, showing yet again what a disaster his signing has proven to be for the Magpies.
He missed a big chance to put the game to bed, and that was symptomatic of a move that just hasn’t worked out for him by any means.
There is already talk that he could potentially be moved on this summer, with Osula now firmly ahead of him in Howe’s pecking order.
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