Eddie Howe has offered an injury update on Joe Willock after the midfielder was absent from the squad for our trip down to Brentford at the weekend.
Willock has notoriously struggled with injuries throughout his Newcastle career missing 37 games in total last season due to a hamstring and Achilles issue.
Howe says Willock issue is ‘a minor one’
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Speaking after our defeat at Brentford, the boss seemed fairly positive in his assessment of Willock’s issue, but the midfielder’s fitness issues are becoming a worrying theme.
Howe claimed that there was nothing serious about Willock’s hamstring problem, adding that it’s very minor’ but it’s certainly not a good sign. “I don’t think it’s serious, he’s had a hamstring problem, a very minor one,” he said.
The former Arsenal man has featured in 15 of our first 18 games this season, but he’s never far from the treatment room and suffered last season due to hamstring issues.
Make or break season for Willock
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We all know how good Willock can be on his day – he offers something completely different than any of our other midfielders with his pace and ability to run at players which is so key in transition.
However, his injury record has really limited his growth over the last couple of years and now at 25-years-old you’re probably looking at him as one of the more sellable assets who we could afford to lose to aid our PSR position.
At his best he really can be electric and a game changer, but some tough decisions are going to have to be made.
With the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali now integral to our midfield and rarely missing through injury, Willock must regain his best form and fitness soon if he wants to become a key part of Howe’s plans.