Will Osula: Everything Wayne Rooney said as Newcastle star hailed after display vs Brighton

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(Credit: Imago, Match of the Day) Sun 3 May 2026 9:45, UK 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. VISIT THE NEWCASTLE MATCH HUB MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES Wayne 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.

StatsOsula TotalMinutes68xG0.78Chances Created1Shots on Target2Big Chances Missed1Duels Won1/7 (14%)Osula’s stats from Newcastle’s win vs Brighton, as per Fotmob.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. He needs to learn and improve as all young players do, but he’s showing really positive signs.”Yoane Wissa awful for Newcastle yet againYoane 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.