Newcastle must pull the plug on Joe Willock transfer, his full stats vs Marseille hint at revival
Newcastle were defeated 2-1 by Marseille in the Champions League on 25 November with Joe Willock one of the club’s better players on the night.
Anthony Gordon was among Newcastle’s worst performers against Marseille as the team’s away issues continued.
The result has also seen increased calls for Eddie Howe to drop Nick Pope in favour of Aaron Ramsdale as the Magpies lost another clean sheet.
Yet, on what was a difficult night in the south of France, the Toon supporters should’ve been encouraged by Willock’s display as he continues his comeback to full fitness.
Willock showing potential despite Crystal Palace links
With Crystal Palace interested in signing Willock from Newcastle in January, Oliver Glasner would’ve been intrigued by his latest performance.
The Englishman has struggled with injuries during his time at St James’ Park, yet Howe may now rethink his stance on letting the midfielder go.
The 26-year-old set up as one of the attacking midfielders for the Toon in the Champions League and was active in front of goal.
His shot map, courtesy of Football Insider’s data partnership with Opta, depicts his activeness in the box as he fired five efforts at goal.
Moreover, the ex-Arsenal man racked up three key passes and completed 95 per cent of his passes as he looked to be one of the bright sparks on a miserable evening in Europe.
Defensively, Willock won four of his six ground duels and made two interceptions as he endeavoured to win back possession in his 72 minutes on the pitch.
Newcastle must see Willock’s stats as a promising sign
Whilst the number 28 has played just 286 minutes of football this season due to a frustrating injury at the start of the campaign, his display against Marseille could be an indicator that he is nearing his best form.
His shot count and attacking involvement highlights his desire to push back into the Magpies’ starting XI as he looks to reverse a possible move to Crystal Palace.
Even under Glasner, there is no guarantee he is a regular starter in both an attacking-midfield or central-midfield role, given the plethora of talent available at Selhurst Park.
With fixtures mounting for Howe and the Toon, it would be wise to keep the Englishman on Tyneside and give him more minutes to prove his worth ahead of the January window.