Joelinton's team-mates had long since walked off the pitch and thrown their shirts into the away end following Newcastle United's 3-0 win at Norwich City, but the Brazilian was in no rush to follow them. With Eddie Howe waiting at the mouth of the tunnel, the club's record signing savoured every moment as 2,600 Geordies sang his name after he scored two goals at Carrow Road.
By the time Joelinton was finally reunited with his team-mates, the 25-year-old entered the dressing room to loud cheers. That acceptance from both the fans and his peers is all Joelinton has ever wanted after a difficult start to his Newcastle career, and the number seven has long since found it.
It felt like another significant afternoon for both Joelinton and, indeed, Newcastle, too, as Howe's side moved up to ninth place in the table following a run of 10 wins in their last 14 games. For perhaps the first time since Howe took charge, the shackles came off a little as Newcastle supporters chanted: 'Geordie boys - take the p---!' and greeted completed passes with shouts of 'olé!' in the second half.
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The visitors had more possession, more shots and more corners than their opponent despite being away from home, which represents progress in itself. With the influential Bruno Guimaraes again at the heart of things, Howe hoped this was a 'glimpse of the future' when it comes to his team's confidence in possession while Mehrdad Ghodoussi went one step further when the part-owner predicted: 'The future is bright...the future is Newcastle United!'
Many of these players are still fighting for their futures, of course, but both of Saturday's goalscorers, Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes, are assured of their place in this new era - even if the former's position is still up for debate. Joelinton has been reborn as a combative, box-to-box midfielder in recent months, but the Brazilian was pushed further forward on Saturday, playing first as a number nine and, then, as a left winger.
It had been a while since Joelinton last played up front, but his shots were flying in the net in the warm-up and, on his 100th Premier League appearance, the versatile forward put away the first chance he got after swapping positions with Allan Saint-Maximin. Joelinton may have been playing out wide, at this stage, but It was a real striker's finish as the Brazilian rifled the ball into the net in the 37th minute. There was a period in a previous era where Joelinton did not get into the box enough but, just four minutes later, the record signing was in the right place at the right time once more to double the Magpies' lead from close range.
Bruno had a big hand in that second goal - the midfielder's through ball slipped in Jacob Murphy in the build-up - and Joelinton's compatriot soon got in on the act after half-time. It was one thing seizing on Tim Krul's poor pass out from the back in the 49th minute, but Bruno then showed he had ice in his veins as he dinked the former Newcastle 'keeper to make it 3-0 much to Howe's pleasure.
"The two lads are a joy to work with," the Newcastle boss told reporters after the game. "They do have that inner strength.
"They're both great people. They're both very welcoming and they've become integral to the squad already. They've very much settled in and are very popular in the dressing room.
"They do have a slight flamboyance with the way that they play so I'm delighted with both of them. Long may that continue."
It is quite scary to think that Joelinton and Bruno were not even born when Newcastle last triumphed at Carrow Road in the Premier League back in 1994 and this has been a gruelling trek in more ways than one for travelling supporters over the years. Newcastle's last visit to Norfolk, in 2019, ended in a woeful 3-1 defeat and it said it all that Jonjo Shelvey's consolation goal did not even generate as much as a cheer in the away end that afternoon. Newcastle's previous trip to Norwich, in 2016, dealt a hammer blow to the Magpies' survival hopes following a 3-2 loss.
A lot has changed in the intervening years and, for the first time in a long while, supporters made the 400-mile round trip with real optimism. It was Norwich, rather than Newcastle, who were bottom of the table when the roles were reversed when these sides played at St James' .
Newcastle have come a long way since that 1-1 draw last November. Newcastle's effort could not be faulted that night after going down to 10 men so early in the game, but Howe's side were ultimately unable to record their first victory of the season despite Callum Wilson putting his side in front. Newcastle have since triumphed on 11 occasions in the Premier League and rediscovered not only how to win but, crucially, how to manage games as well. Those strides were again evident on Saturday.
Norwich may appear to be doomed, barring a miracle, but this was still another timely challenge for these Newcastle players on the road against a side fighting for their lives. Although Newcastle are as good as safe, after already hitting the 40-points mark, there was still a lot to play for. Not only was a place in the top 10 up for grabs - Newcastle had the chance to move into the top half for the first time this season with a win - but these players were also still playing for their futures.
As Martin Dubravka said on the eve of this game, the 'special thing' is 'everyone wants to be part of the club who is building their name now'. These players showed that in the recent home wins against Wolves, Leicester City and Crystal Palace and Howe was not about to let them ease off as he warned 'we have standards to maintain'.
Following two games in four days, against Leicester and Palace, Howe made four changes to his side as Jamaal Lascelles, Sean Longstaff, Joe Willock and Jacob Murphy came in for Fabian Schar, Jonjo Shelvey, Miguel Almiron and Chris Wood. With no recognised striker in the starting line-up, it fell to Joelinton to lead the line for the first time under Howe.
It was another Brazilian, though, who was making his presence felt in the early stages. There were seven minutes on the clock when Bruno floated a ball over the top of Norwich's defence into Jacob Murphy's path, but the winger fired wide after opting to hit it first time. Norwich attempted a similar move just a couple of minutes later, when Mathias Normann's lofted pass picked out Kieran Dowell, but the midfielder hooked the ball over the bar as he hit it on the volley.
Norwich, naturally, took confidence from cutting Newcastle open like that and the Canaries got in behind once more in the 18th minute when Teemu Pukki was slipped in. Although Martin Dubravka held up Pukki, the Norwich star managed to pull the ball back to Dowell who again blazed over.
Newcastle were living dangerously, as Norwich grew in belief, and Howe soon made a tactical tweak to move Joelinton out wide and play Allan Saint-Maximin centrally. It quickly paid off.
Jacob Murphy played a clever one-two with Emil Krafth down the right in the 37th minute before the winger passed the ball to Allan Saint-Maximin inside the area. The Frenchman attempted to square it to Sean Longstaff, but the ball evaded everyone and fell to Joelinton, who lashed it home into the top corner.
It was Joelinton's first goal since scoring at Brentford back in February and, once again, the club's record signing ran the length of the field to celebrate in front of Newcastle fans. Things were about to get even better for the travelling support.
Bruno cut Norwich open once again with a through ball in the 41st minute and Murphy managed to squeeze a cross to the back post. There was Joelinton, once more, to double Newcastle's advantage with a composed finish from a tight angle. It was the first time Joelinton had scored two goals in a single Premier League game and it was hard to see a way back for Norwich.
It got even worse for the beleaguered Canaries not long after the break. Tim Krul's poor pass to Kenny McClean was pounced upon by Bruno Guimaraes in the 49th minute and the Brazil international coolly lifted the ball over the former Newcastle 'keeper to make it 3-0 and end Newcastle's Carrow Road hoodoo at long last.
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