There was talk Guimaraes was waving goodbye to Magpies supporters in the aftermath of that win as the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Manchester City were all linked with a bid for the midfielder after it was confirmed he had a £100m release clause in the contract he signed last year.

“I don’t think it’s a wave goodbye,” explained Magpies boss Howe after the game. “Bruno probably does that many times but it can be interpreted in a way that people watching decide that’s the case. Certainly from my side, I hope it’s not, he is integral to what we’re doing and is an inspirational player, we’re desperate to keep him. They’re two outstanding players (Guimaraes and Isak), I’ve said many times this season and they can make the difference and have made the difference at numerous times. It’s always about the team and how the team functions. The team gives them a platform to play well and their involvement in the goals today was top class but you can’t forget their team-mates who helped them. It’s been a team effort all season and I think we’ve really stuck together and I can’t speak highly enough of the group of players.”