Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has saluted Jonjo Shelvey's leadership skills after the midfielder apologised for his performance against Brighton.
Shelvey has captained the Magpies in the absence of Jamaal Lascelles and Kieran Trippier as they have extended their unbeaten Premier League run to eight games to significantly increase their survival hopes.
The 30-year-old issued an apology for his own display via the club's Twitter account in the wake of Saturday's hard-fought 2-1 win over the Seagulls, and although Howe admitted he would have preferred those thoughts to remain internal, he was happy with the player's commitment to the cause.