Greenwood scored his tenth and 11th goals of the season in Marseille’s 5-1 Ligue 1 victory at Nice on Friday evening to underline his form since completing a £26.6m summer move from Manchester United.
The 24-year-old striker ended his 17-year association with the Old Trafford club following a season on loan at Getafe after charges of attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and assault occasioning actual bodily harm against him, which he denied, were dropped.
Asked about Greenwood’s contribution to date in the south of France, fellow Manchester United Academy graduate Gomes told a press conference: “That’s down to the environment that we give him here. He’s loved by everyone, he’s such a really nice guy. He works really hard.
“Obviously I’ve known him since I was young, so I probably know him best, but if you were to ask any of the players and staff around, he’s someone that keeps himself to himself.
“When he’s on the pitch, he enjoys himself and when it’s like that as a team-mate, it’s easier. But also as a friend, it’s nice and happy to see.”
Gomes and Greenwood will be key men if last season’s Ligue 1 runners-up are to belatedly kick-start their European campaign, which has to date yielded a home win over Ajax plus defeats to Real Madrid, Sporting Lisbon and Atalanta.
He said: “For us, we treat every game like a final. This game is going to be a difficult game, but we need some points and we’re approaching this game to win, like we do every game.
“But we also have other games left and you never know in football how things can work out, so we’re staying optimistic.”
For 25-year-old Gomes in particular, there will be a series of familiar faces lining up against him at the Velodrome.
He said: “Newcastle are a very good, very strong, physical team. We face teams like this in Ligue 1 also, but they have a lot of quality.
“I know a lot of the players – I’ve played with and against a lot of the players – so I know it will be a tough test.
“But at the Velodrome, it’s a special place and in the Champions League, it makes it even more special, so we’ll look forward to the game tomorrow.”
Asked which Newcastle players he knows well, Gomes added: “I played with Sven Botman at Lille. Anthony Elanga, he grew up with me in the Academy. I won the Euros (at Under-21 level) with Anthony Gordon and Jacob Ramsey.
“I grew up with Joe Willock in the England groups and we’re close friends also, and also I’ve played with Nick Pope in the national team, so there’s a few people I know well there.”