Joe Willock makes telling Newcastle United observation

However, the midfielder’s confident that it won’t be his last as relegation-threatened Newcastle United look to push on up the table over the coming weeks and months.

Willock, signed last summer for £25million, scored eight goals for the club in the second half of last season while on loan from Arsenal.

And Eddie Howe wants to see more goals from midfield between now and the end of the campaign.

Willock netted in Saturday’s 1-1 draw against West Ham United at the London Stadium.

The 22-year-old – who had struggled for form in the first half of the campaign after sitting out most of Arsenal’s pre-season campaign – reacted quickly when an attempted headed clearance from Declan Rice dropped into the six-yard box.

“When I saw it go in, I was so delighted,” said Willock, who netted in seven consecutive games last season. “It’s been a long time coming. I’m happy to score and help the team.

"That’s how football is – it never goes how you want it to go. I’ve tried to stick to my task and take on board what the manager wanted me to do.

“He’s a brilliant manager and a brilliant person. He’s a manager we all trust, and we all buy into what he wants to do. We’ve got a great relationship with him. Long may it continue.”

Newcastle were without Allan Saint-Maximin, Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson against fifth-placed West Ham.

“It’s an important point,” said Willock. “We had two important players injured, so we had to come here and stick to our task. Everyone had to be at it for us to come away with a point.

“I thought we brought our game plan to them. We were very dominant in the first half, and had moments in the second half. It shows how far we’ve come, and how much the manager has instilled into us.”

Howe’s side are six games unbeaten, and 17th in the Premier League table, ahead of Saturday’s game against 14th-placed Brentford. A win would take Newcastle above Thomas Frank’s side, who have played two games more than them.

And Willock – who signed a six-year contract at St James’s Park – insists that the club’s players are now looking up the table after winning three of their last four fixtures.

“We’re looking up the table, not down the table,” Willock told BT Sport. “With the manager and the staff we have, we’re capable of going very far up the table.”

Meanwhile, Howe has been heartened by Willock’s recent performances alongside Joelinton and Jonjo Shelvey in his three-man midfield.

“Last season, he scored some crucial goals for the club,” said United’s head coach.

“This season, since I’ve come in, he’s grown and grown and grown. That goal was coming. I’m really pleased for him, because he deserved it.

"The only disappointment for me was that we only got one goal – there was more in it for us.”

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