Neal Maupay has praised the mentality of strike partner Aaron Connolly after the 20-year-old’s debut Premier League campaign.
The pair scored 13 Premier League goals between them, with Maupay confident that the Irishman will find another gear this season.
He said, “Aaron is a young player and he is learning. It was his first season in the Premier League, but he has got really good qualities. I like him because he has such a high confidence in himself.
“In training every day he scores goals, he’s not shy to shoot, tackle and compete. We have a really good relationship and at the end of training we do finishing drills together. Everyone likes him because he’s always smiling.
“His celebration sums him up really well. He has confidence in himself and as a striker you need that. He knows how to score goals. When he did that celebration when he scored against Spurs he was kind of saying ‘you know who I am now, I’m Aaron Connolly’. It was brilliant.
“Everyone was so pleased for him. I remember my first goal which was amazing and he got two which he will remember for the rest of his life. He’s been scoring goals his whole career so he knows what he is doing.”
Maupay looks back on his first professional goal fondly, having come through the ranks at Ligue 1 side OGC Nice.
“I will always remember my first goal. I came on for my debut in the 89th minute for Nice, we were playing against Evian.
“We were 2-0 down, we came back to 2-2. Then I came on and with my first touch in the 91st minute I scored. I ran straight towards the bench and all of my team was around me, I went mad! I didn’t know what to do, it was just amazing. Everyone jumped on me.”