VURNON ANITA is delighted with his role in Steve McClaren’s new-look Newcastle United, and is confident the club’s burgeoning Dutch contingent will help ensure a successful season.

Anita exited on a stretcher during the second half of Newcastle’s 2-2 draw with Southampton on Sunday, but while an awkward fall on his back was continuing to cause him pain as he hobbled away from the dressing room an hour or so after the final whistle, there is confidence the problem is not too severe and he should be available for this weekend’s trip to Swansea.

That could be significant as, prior to picking up his injury, the diminutive Dutchman had been one of his side’s most influential performers in the opening game of the season, shielding the back four from the base of midfield and sparking a series of attacks with some crisp, precise passing.

His influence has not always been as profound, with the three years since his £6.2m move from Ajax in the summer of 2012 featuring a series of missed opportunities and thwarted attempts to stake a regular place in the Newcastle team.

The 26-year-old hopes things will be different this season, and having been given the opportunity to start on Sunday ahead of Cheick Tiote, is confident his adapted role under McClaren will enable him to perform to his best.

“I think it helps that the manager has experience of Dutch football and has a style that is fairly similar to what I would be used to in Holland,” said Anita, who needs to play in four more games to complete a century of appearances for the Magpies.

“The way he sets his team up is fairly similar to a lot of Dutch sides, and the role I am playing now is the most similar to the one I used to play in at Ajax. I am used to what he is asking me to do, so the position feels a little bit more like it is your own. Hopefully, that will mean I can fit in more easily than maybe before.

“This is my third season now, and I feel like I’m settled here as a Premier League player. The first year was a little bit difficult in terms of settling in, but I definitely feel like I’m here now and much more comfortable with the pace of the English game. It feels much more like this is where I belong now.”

Anita was one of four Dutch players in Newcastle’s starting XI at the weekend, with a fifth – Siem de Jong – coming off the substitutes’ bench for the final nine minutes.

The arrival of £14.5m midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum has cemented the Magpies’ Dutch connection, with even McClaren boasting strong links to Holland having won the Eredivisie title as manager of Twente.

McClaren’s two managerial spells in Holland have given him a deep understanding of the Dutch game, and that has enabled him to establish an immediate rapport with Newcastle’s players from that country.

“There’s a lot of Dutch players here now, and we’ll certainly be doing our best for the club,” said Anita. “There’s always been a bit of a connection between Dutch people and Newcastle – partly because of the players that have been here in the past, and partly because it’s close to Holland.

“I think there’s probably more interest because there are more of us Dutch players at the club now, and I’m sure people back in Holland are watching Newcastle.”

Wijnaldum’s debut goal helped Newcastle claim a point on the opening weekend for the first time in four seasons, although any satisfaction at the quality of the performance was tempered by the disappointment of conceding a 79th-minute equaliser to Shane Long.

“We’re happy with most of the things we did in the first game,” said Anita. “I thought we started fairly sharply, and we dominated the game for large periods.

“We played well for most of the time, but we didn’t win and that’s obviously a disappointment. We were 2-1 up, and when you’re in that position, you have to see the game out.”

Anita was off the field by the time Long headed home Dusan Tadic’s cross, but is hoping his back problem will not prevent him retaining his place in the side for Saturday’s trip to the Liberty Stadium.

“I don’t know quite how bad the injury is yet,” he said. “I felt a pain in my back, and when I tried to stand up, the pain was so bad that I couldn’t walk. It feels a little bit better now, but it won’t really be until I get into the training ground for a few tests that we see what’s up.

“I tried to put pressure on my left leg when I stood up, but I couldn’t. I’ve had a lot of ice on it, so we’ll see how it feels after a little bit of time. Hopefully, I won’t need a scan or anything like that.”