"I don’t pick the team based on transfer fees, but on what I see," Howe told Chronicle Live, referring to the limited playing time Woltemade had received against the Eagles. He finally entered the fray in the closing stages, shortly after Jean-Philippe Mateta had equalised for the hosts, replacing Newcastle goalscorer William Osula, only to then witness Crystal Palace snatch the winner deep in stoppage time.
Woltemade’s last Premier League goal came just before Christmas, when he scored a brace against Chelsea, and he has contributed only two assists since. Nevertheless, the forward dismisses suggestions that his form has slipped.
He now plays for the Magpies “in a completely different position to where I was at the start of the season,” Woltemade told the Süddeutsche Zeitung. “I know people associate me with goals, but you can’t compare a striker’s goal-scoring rate with that of a midfielder who plays 50, 60, 70 metres away from the opposition’s goal.”
“I’m a completely different Nick Woltemade now than I was at the start of the season,” he explained, referring to the deeper role Howe has assigned him. “Right now, I should be judged more on how I win challenges or secure space.” That shift evidently failed to impress Howe. Woltemade had already sat out the full 90 minutes in both Champions League play-off matches against FC Barcelona (1-1, 2-7).