NEWCASTLE United winger Gabriel Obertan hopes his goal for the reserves has fired him back into the first-team reckoning.
The former Manchester United man played an hour of last night’s 3-3 draw as the Magpies played host to Sunderland’s second string at St James’s Park.
Obertan started the game brightly causing problems for the visitors’ young defence, and opened the scoring for the hosts in front of watching manager Alan Pardew.
He said: “You have got to improve and impress people to make it back into the first team.
“Hopefully, I made a good impression.”
Obertan has sat out United’s last two Premier League games, and the winger was pleased to get the chance to show what he can do last night.
“It was quite a big game for the reserves, especially with it being a derby,” he said.
“As a first-team player you always have to prove yourself, whether it’s a training game or a reserve game, so it was good to get a goal and have a good result.”
Obertan, was hauled off at half-time during United’s disastrous 5-0 defeat away to Tottenham, and has not featured in first-team action since.
The winger is itching to return to the fold, and felt it was important to get some game time under his belt, even if just to maintain his match sharpness.
“It was good to be out there. I haven’t been playing in the last two first-team games, so I needed to find a bit of rhythm.
“It is important as a player to have a rhythm to your play and to stay match fit.
“I played an hour, and it was a good game, with a good atmosphere as well.
“It was a good derby, even for a reserve game.”
The clash was played in front of just under 3,000 fans and the watchful eye of Pardew, who took in the game from the stands.
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