Eddie Howe confirms we will not drop Chris Wood from Newcastle XI

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The stats don’t look pretty for Chris Wood and Newcastle United so far.

The New Zealand international joined the Magpies in January, costing £25million from Burnley.

He looked like a wonderfully astute piece of business at the time. He’s a proven Premier League goalscorer, and the move also weakened a relegation rival.

Wood seemed like a great fit for Newcastle, but the goals are yet to flow. The 30-year-old has played every minute of every game since his debut, the 1-1 draw with Watford. That’s 630 minutes without finding the net.

He’s yet to taste defeat with his new club, but he’s also yet to score his first goal. However, Howe isn’t concerned at all. Instead, he’s hailed the importance of Newcastle’s number 20.

What Eddie Howe said about Chris Wood

Howe spoke to the media ahead of the game against Southampton, and was asked about Wood.

“I think he’s [Wood] been outstanding since he’s arrived,” Howe said.

“He does a lot of the things people don’t necessarily see but he’s had a dramatic effect on the team. He’s given us the ability to retain the ball from loads of different situations.

“He brings others in to play and his tactical understanding is of the highest level. Yes, he hasn’t scored but the team has performed.

“I can’t speak highly enough of him and I’ve got no thoughts of taking him out the team.”

Wood doing a priceless job for Newcastle

While outsiders may point to his lack of goals, Toon fans appreciate the role Wood is playing.

His work off the ball has been exceptional, particularly in the 2-1 win over Brighton on Saturday. He was also involved on the ball too, playing a key role in Ryan Fraser’s opener.

Wood expertly rolled a Brighton defender deep in his own half, before slotting Jacob Murphy through on goal. It was brilliant forward play by the Kiwi.

Goals will eventually come for Wood – they have to. He’s a proven scorer in the top flight, hitting double figures for the past four seasons.

Time is running out for him to make it five in a row, with 12 games remaining to boost his current tally of three.

But Howe is happy with his striker, and confirmed he won’t be dropping him against Southampton. Given our lack of strikers, he doesn’t really have much choice!