Jetro Willems opens up on the injuries which forced him off – and his Newcastle United future

Jetro Willems is hopeful that his spell on the sidelines will be a short one.
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The defender was one of four Newcastle United players to be forced off during yesterday’s 3-0 defeat to Leicester City at St James’s Park.

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Willems – who had played in all of the club’s festive games – left the field before the break after feeling his groin and hamstring. The 25-year-old hopes to be back for the January 11 game against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux.

“I’ve never known anything like that,” Willems told the Gazette. “It’s difficult. You play play three games in seven days.

“It was my groin and hamstrings. Everybody feels something. I’ve played all the games. For me, it’s the first time I have had this (many games over Christmas). Normally, you have a break. But now you just keep going. The Prem is not like other leagues. It’s pretty difficult, but it’s nothing bad, bad, bad. I think I will be there for the next Prem game.”

It was Willems’ first experience of the Premier League’s congested festive fixture programme.

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“It’s difficult for me, because it’s my first time,” said Willems, signed on a season-long loan from Eintracht Frankfurt last summer. “It’s not like I didn’t want to play or something, or I felt something before.”

Jetro Willems.Jetro Willems.
Jetro Willems.

The Leicester defeat left Newcastle 13th in the league – and five points above the relegation zone.

Willems, however, is confident that Steve Bruce’s side can stay out of the bottom three.

“I have confidence,” said Willems. “We have a lot of players where it’s the first time they play Boxing Day and everything. They need to get used to it. When we get rest we’re capable of doing everything and giving everything.

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Willems – who was a target for United earlier in his career – is keen to stay at St James’s Park once his loan ends.

“I’m enjoying it,” said the Holland international. “Newcastle’s a big club, for me. It’s a nice club. I would like to stay here. We will see.”