NEWCASTLE UNITED midfielder Bruno Guimaraes has received the seal of approval from his Brazilian international team-mate Casemiro.

Guimaraes’ excellent form on Tyneside over the course of the last 12 months has seen him cement a midfield spot in interim Brazil boss Fernando Diniz’s first-choice starting line-up.

The Newcastle playmaker started alongside Casemiro in both of last month’s World Cup qualifiers against Bolivia and Peru, which saw Brazil claim 5-1 and 1-0 victories respectively.

The pair dovetailed neatly at the heart of the Brazilian midfield, with Casemiro quick to praise Guimares’ qualities.

The Manchester United midfielder has been watching his compatriot with interest in the last few months, and has been impressed with the way in which Guimaraes has taken to life in the Premier League with Newcastle.

“Bruno Guimaraes is a player who has been doing an exceptional job at Newcastle,” said Casemiro, who could find himself lining up against Guimaraes when Newcastle travel to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup at the start of next month.

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“With every practice and every game, I am more comfortable with him. He is a great player. He has been demonstrating this in the most difficult league in the world.”

Meanwhile, Callum Wilson expects another Newcastle midfielder, Elliot Anderson, to continue making a major impact in the Magpies’ first team.

Anderson has become an increasingly influential figure in recent weeks, starting four Premier League games in a row against Brentford, Sheffield United, Burnley and West Ham.

The youngster was also a second-half substitute in Newcastle’s Champions League matches against AC Milan and Paris St Germain, and has forced his way into the first-team picture despite competition from a number of fellow midfielders, including the Magpies’ club-record signing, Sandro Tonali.

Wilson has been hugely impressed with Anderson’s performances, and is confident the North-Easterner’s level-headed attitude will enable him to continue progressing.

“He’s a young lad who’s come through the academy, which is always good to see,” said the striker, on the Footballer’s Football Podcast. “He’s a good player, a confident lad.

“He’s got himself into the team after a loan spell (at Bristol Rovers) that he had a few seasons ago, and he’s worked his way up, which is always nice to see. I think, personally, he’s going to be a good player for the future, and he’s got his feet on the ground, so I can’t see anything going to his head.

“He’s humble, and he works hard. They’re the key components that you need to become a footballer that’s successful at a club like Newcastle.”