‘Things aren’t going as planned’ - Newcastle United star makes behind the scenes admission

Wilson hasn’t started any of Newcastle’s opening three matches of the Premier League season despite finishing the previous campaign as the club’s top scorer with 18 goals. The 31-year-old came off the bench to score in the 5-1 opening day win against Aston Villa before being used as a substitute in the narrow defeats against Manchester City and Liverpool.

Club record signing Alexander Isak has been Eddie Howe’s preferred option in the central striker role at the start of the season but back to back defeats could tempt the Magpies boss to make some changes for the trip to the Amex Stadium.

“In my position at the moment, things aren’t going as planned at the start of the season,” Wilson admitted. “So you have to make sure that you’re working even harder to stay hungry to keep improving.

“That’s what we have to do as a squad and as players, we have to work hard to get to the levels that Man City play at week in, week out, season after season.”

The competition with Isak ultimately limited Wilson’s game-time at Newcastle towards the back end of last season, but it didn’t stop the England striker finding the net. Wilson has scored 12 Premier League goals since April, more than any other player.

“The team is always bigger than any individual environment,” Wilson added in the Newcastle matchday programme. “Ultimately within that team you as an individual want to be playing week in, week out.

“You have that internal drive and motivation to change your circumstances but never to the detriment of the team. You have to have that leadership mentality, but at the same time still be hungry to get your position back.

“I feel that as I’m getting older, I’m becoming better at doing that. When I was younger, I might have taken the approach of throwing my toys out of the pram, but I think in a mature, respectful way, Alex Isak knows I’m breathing down his neck, he’s breathing down my neck and we’re pushing each other to new levels.

“If we weren’t doing that, we wouldn’t be a Champions League team like we are.”