Joe Willock is starting to find form for Newcastle United

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There were many top performers for Newcastle United in their 1-0 win over Aston Villa this past weekend. Kieran Trippier scored a cracking free-kick and big Dan Burn was a rock at the back.

Another strong performance against Villa was from Joe Willock. He has struggled this season since signing permanently for the Toon, but under Eddie Howe, he’s improving.

The 22-year-old was very effective in the midfield three. He finished the game with a 100% pass accuracy and made four tackles (sofascore.com). In the 89th minute he was subbed off for new signing Bruno Guimaraes, Willock worked his socks off on Sunday.

The win against Villa was a big one for the Magpies. Victory now puts them one point off Everton, two behind Leeds United and three off Brentford. With three wins in a row, Newcastle will be full of confidence going into their next match against West Ham United.

Willock has been a recent unsung hero for Newcastle

In their last three games, Newcastle has picked up nine important points. In the games against Leeds, Everton and Villa, Willock was an underrated aspect of the team. Goals from the likes of Jonjo Shelvey, Ryan Fraser and Trippier have got people’s attention.

Additionally, Allan Saint-Maximin really showed a lot of flare in a ‘Man of the Match’ performance against the Toffees. But Willock has had three very good showings for Newcastle in a row.

Last season we saw him playing further forward for the Magpies, just off the striker. He joined on loan from Arsenal and scored 8 goals. This led to him signing permanently – Sky Sports reported the fee at £25 million.

At first, he struggled on his return to Tyneside, and his form really dipped as Steve Bruce entered his third season as Newcastle boss. Since the arrival of Eddie Howe, several players have made great improvements.

Willock is certainly one of them. It seems he’s getting used to playing in a central-midfield role for the Toon. Other players might be grabbing the headlines, but Willock deserves praise for his turnaround.

With the excitement around Willock arriving on a permanent deal, it was a shame to see him struggle at first. However, he’s beginning to turn it around and is an effective part of the midfield three with Shelvey and Joelinton. Also, with the arrival of Bruno Guimaraes, the English midfielder is proving he deserves a spot in Newcastle’s midfield.