IT must have felt nice for Florian Lejeune to finally enjoy a feeling of ecstasy rather than pain on a football pitch when he capped his emotional recent comeback from injury by becoming the goal-hero of Goodison Park.

The 28-year-old has been through the mill over the last couple of years, having had his big move to Newcastle ruined by an 18-month spell on the sidelines after sustaining two anterior cruciate ligament injuries.

So he was understandably overwhelmed on Merseyside on Tuesday night when, only seven games in since his return to action, Lejeune dramatically secured Newcastle an unlikely point against Everton with two stoppage-time goals to avoid defeat.

It is an indication of what he has endured over the last couple of years he was taking nothing for granted after the celebrations had died down at Goodison inside the away dressing room, because he knows how quickly things can change.

Having made such a brilliant start to life at Newcastle following his £8.7m move from Eibar in July 2017, the Frenchman suffered the first of his major injuries just eight months before he endured a repeat against Crystal Palace last April.

That is why head coach Steve Bruce, and Lejeune, have wanted to take things a little slower since that gruelling festive fixture list when the defender was asked to face Palace, Manchester United, Everton and Leicester all during a short space of time because of the squad’s lengthy injury list.

Having been treated carefully since then he returned to action with a bang at Everton, emerging as a 70th minute substitute to grab the incredible point – and he would love that to be the start of a brighter end to the season for him.

“I hope my bad injuries are over. I had two big injuries,” said Lejeune. “I have worked very hard during those times, every day, it was difficult for me and for my wife because my baby was born in Rome. It was a long way to bring my wife to another country the second time, it’s a long way. I think I work hard, we have amazing staff, and everyone has been good with me. I am happy to be playing again.

“For me the perfect end to this season now would be, first and foremost, no more injuries, to play again in good condition. I know for me it was difficult in the last few weeks because after eight months I played four games in ten days.

“You can see why that it is difficult after being out for so long, not just for the body but for the head too. Tired. The legs, head, they are the same. I was not happy after the Leicester game because I was tired. I have felt good about my body though, the leg and knee has been good. I am happy now.”

Lejeune’s double at Everton ensured that Newcastle remain seven points clear of the relegation zone when it had seemed the gap would close because of other results. He will certainly never forget the way that particularly game came to an end, with him volleying acrobatically in the fourth minute of stoppage time before then forcing in an equaliser less than a minute later.

“It is not just the 90 minutes, it is 93,94 and 95 minutes we are delivering and it shows the character we have in this group,” said Lejeune. “We have to keep trying to get the results because it is working for us, that says everything about this squad.

“It was crazy what happened at Everton. I was just happy to be able to help the team. I have never been involved in a finish like that, first time.

“It was a difficult game. They were a very good team with good players. It is a difficult place to win but it is also difficult to get a point there.

“Everyone was happy. We know we could have done more with the ball, but you can see the character against Chelsea and now against Everton, that is great.

“I have never scored two before. It was a nice way to do it. My first goal made it 2-1 in injury-time, the second was crazy because there were a lot of players in the box, nobody knew if it had gone in because there were so many people in the box. The referee said it was a goal.

“When we scored the first, we were losing so no celebrations. We just wanted to try to get a corner or a free kick and we got one, and I am happy it ended in that way.”

Now Newcastle will have a break from the Premier League by facing Oxford United in the FA Cup on Saturday. It could be a good fixture for Lejeune to get more minutes under his belt, while Bruce is contemplating handing new signing Nabil Bentaleb his debut.

The Algerian midfielder has arrived on loan until the end of the season for an initial fee of £850,000, which could trigger a permanent deal worth £10m is he is successful. The Schalke player has already had a spell in England with Tottenham and Lejeune is certain he will do well.

“I know this player, he is a very good player, technically and has a lot of ability. I think he can give us something different, we are happy to have this player,” said Lejeune.

“We are happy to have new players. We will make sure we welcome any new players to Newcastle. Nabil is a different type of player to what we have, he has good left foot, he has played in the Champions League, for Tottenham, he is a big player and he can do well for us.”

Newcastle are wanting to make further progress on that front too. They continue to pursue Inter Milan winger Valentino Lazaro but face competition from RB Leipzig and West Ham.

But whoever Bruce does bring in, he wants to make sure the spirit within the camp continues.

He said: “I can’t fault their spirit. They’re a uniquely-tight group, and keep showing a resilience which isn’t a bad trait to have. We lack in certain areas, but you can’t fault their effort, their endeavour. They never gave up. It just shows you what can happen.

“Yes I do want more signings, but, look, we’re without Jetro Willems and Paul Dummett for the rest of the season. Hopefully, after we play Norwich, we’ve got a two-week break.

“I’m quietly confident everybody will be fit apart from them two. If somebody better can improve the squad, then I’ll try to grab. But what’s the point if Andy Carroll and Dwight Gayle and Yoshinori Muto are going to be fit in the next two or three weeks. What’s the point of just bringing in someone if they’re not going to be any better? I’m not going to be dragged into that. I’m going to be patient, and go with what we’ve got.”