'Improving' - Newcastle United fitness boost ahead of West Ham after midfielder ruled out for 37 games
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Willock returned to Newcastle’s starting line-up for the 2-0 Carabao Cup win over Chelsea last month and has kept his place in the side for the subsequent wins over Arsenal and Nottingham Forest. Despite starting all three games, Willock has been withdrawn before the 70 minute mark by head coach Eddie Howe in all three games.
Howe recently said Willock was ‘not ready’ to play a full 90 minutes in the Premier League after substituting him against Arsenal. But as Newcastle prepare to return to Premier League action against West Ham United next Monday, Willock has been using the international break to work on his fitness.
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Hide AdHe was one of 13 first-team squad members who travelled to Saudi Arabia for a warm-weather training camp over the weekend.
Reflecting on the trip, Willock told the club website: “It’s very warm but I think it will be good for us going back and improving our fitness.
“I feel good. I feel like I’m getting back to my best. I feel like I’m playing well, trying to affect games. I’m going to keep pushing on. Hopefully, I can continue pushing and start scoring and assisting goals on a regular basis. The Premier League is so hard to get back into and get started at your best again.
“It’s good to get my minutes up and get my feet back under the table. We’re at home [against West Ham], in front of our own fans for a night-time kick-off - we look forward to it.”
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Hide AdWillock’s return to the side has ultimately seen Sandro Tonali remain on the bench for the last two league matches. Willock has occupied the left side of the midfield three, the position Tonali regularly plays in at international level. Sean Longstaff’s return to the side has also marked an upturn in form for The Magpies, who are yet to lose with the Geordie in the starting line-up this season and yet to win in a match he has missed.


While Tonali has only started one of the last three games for Newcastle, he has still been able to stamp his creativity on the match with an assist against Chelsea and last time out for Harvey Barnes at Nottingham Forest.
Willock missed 37 games for Newcastle in all competitions last season but has only missed one so far this campaign. And Howe has stressed just how important a role the 25-year-old has to play this season after his injury troubles.
“He’s had a lot of moments where he has been incredibly frustrated that he hasn’t been able to kick-on and get to the levels we saw of him,” Howe said. “I thought [against Chelsea] was his best game since his comeback, physically he looked really really good, that’s a major part of his armoury.
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Hide Ad“His ability to run box-to-box quickly, his ability to sense where the ball is and run. That’s Joe at his best and I was really pleased to see it because he’s been a big miss for us because he adds a totally different feel to our midfield and he’s a goal threat.”
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