'Daily deposit' - Newcastle United FA Cup hero reveals extra work with eyes on Man City recall
Newcastle United midfielder Joe Willock will be hoping his two goals in the FA Cup will see him get a Premier League recall.
Two goals, Newcastle United’s matchwinner. It’s fair to say it was some weekend for Joe Willock last time out.
And, after such a turbulent season, it was just the kind of confidence boost the former Arsenal man needed, heading into the business end of the Premier League season.
The Magpies continue to be fighting on three fronts domestically this season - the only top flight team still in the hunt - and that’s due in no small part to Willock.
As the rain poured into a cold, rain-soaked St Andrews, Willock turned up the heat on League One Birmingham City, netting the Magpies’ equaliser, then winner, as Eddie Howe’s men made it through to round five. There they will take on Brighton & Hove Albion, who beat them in the Premier League at St James’ Park, earlier this season.
Stop-start season for Willock
Despite wracking up 28 appearances in all competitions for the Magpies this season, just 11 have come in the starting XI for London-born Willock.
Injuries and a lack of form have seen the player drop in and out of Howe’s first-team plans in a stop-start campaign.
But Saturday showed some of the Willock of old, as he drove through the lines, creating havoc for home defenders from his slightly unfamiliar left forward role.
And after impressing in a much-changed XI in the FA Cup, Willock is in contention to start against Manchester City in the Premier League this weekend.
‘Daily deposit’
Ahead of that clash, the player has shown he’s willing to put in the hard yards away from the football pitch, in order to drive the team forward.
Willock posted a video to his social media story this week, showing him doing pull downs on a weighted bar, as the above video shows.
The video was captioned with the term: “Daily deposit.”
Newcastle and Howe could do with a full fit and firing Willock in the closing stages of the campaign, with not only FA Cup honours still on the line, but also with a Carabao Cup semi-final date marked in the diary. Newcastle United take on Liverpool at Wembley on Sunday, March 16.
The Magpies are also right in the hunt for a Champions League return, too. Sitting in sixth spot, they’re level on points and goal difference with fifth-placed Man City, who they play at 3pm on Saturday at the Etihad.
It is likely that the Premier League will be handed five spots in next season’s Champions League due to the success of English club’s across the three European tournaments this season.