Longstaff determined to establish himself

Matty Longstaff has admitted it took a while for his dream Newcastle debut to sink in but now he’s focused on becoming a regular in Steve Bruce’s side. Longstaff enjoyed a remarkable Magpies debut last month when he slammed home the winning goal against Manchester United at St James’ Park.
The 19-year-old, who partnered his older brother Sean in the heart of the Newcastle midfield, could probably not have written a better script to start his career with his hometown club.
He told the Premier League website: “Every kid’s dream when they’re growing up is to play in the Premier League and to score against the big clubs, and for it all to happen in one appearance is a bit surreal. It has sunk in a couple of weeks down the line.”
The local-born Longstaff’s match-winning performance against the Red Devils earned him a place in Bruce’s side for the following games against Chelsea and Wolves.
He will hope to play as much as possible between now and the end of the season as Newcastle look to keep clear of the relegation zone in the top flight.
The youngster, who has held talks over a new, long-term Newcastle deal, says he cannot afford to dwell on his stunning start to life in the first team and is now concentrating on getting more game-time under his belt.
He added: “You go to Chelsea a week later and you have to get over it quickly because these are the best players in the world you’re playing against, so if you’re still thinking about the Man Utd game then you’re probably going to struggle. “I’ve played three games in the Premier League now and I think the biggest thing for me is to play as many games in the Premier League as possible over my career.”
Longstaff was left on the bench for Saturday’s 3-2 win at West Ham but will hope to be back in Bruce’s starting line-up when Bournemouth visit on Saturday.