Joe Willock proved to be the Newcastle United match winner at Millwall.
The 27-year-old scoring in the 81st minute to put United through into the last 16 of the Carabao Cup.
Newcastle United had been comfortably the better team in the match, especially across the first half.
However, the players struggling to add goals on the end of some decent approach play, which then faltered repeatedly once they got near the penalty area.
By the final whistle Newcastle United had managed 15 corners and 25 shots yet came away grateful for that sole Joe Willock effort that proved the difference.
Joe Willock speaking to BBC Newcastle about what he made of the match: “I think it was a good game and we came here [to Milwall] knowing it would be a good atmosphere. We had to do the fundamentals right. The gaffer told us before the game they were big on second balls so we had a good second ball game and dominated the game. We should have put a few chances away in the first half but in the second half we managed to do it so I’m really happy to go to the next round. I think it was a mature performance.”
Matias Fernandez-Pardo and Lewis Hall combined well down the left and the latter put an excellent low cross in for Joe Willock to apply a lovely touch with his weaker left foot to win the match.
Joe Willock declaring: “I gave it a little Mesut [Ozil], a little bounce into the ground!, I have been working on that in training! It was a good pass from Hally [Lewis Hall]. We spoke before about how if he gets in that position he should cut it back as we knew they had big defenders and we wanted to exploit the cut-back position. It was good that he did that and it was a good finish on my left foot to be fair. I want to score more goals, I think that is something missing from my game, so I’m happy to score today and hopefully I can continue giving my all for the team and scoring more goals.”
Joe Willock is an enigma when it comes to scoring goals.
In his first half season on loan he couldn’t stop scoring, the second half of the 2020/21 season seeing him score eight goals in 11 Premier League starts and three sub appearances.
Yet once Newcastle United bought him for a reported £25m from Arsenal, his goalscoring in all competitions each season has been:
2 in 2021/22
3 in 2022/23
2 in 2023/24
3 in 2024/25
1 in 2025/26
2 in 2026/27
Since that transfer was paid in summer 2022, Joe Willock has only scored another seven Premier League goals.
Even worse, the one that he scored against Liverpool was only his second EPL goal since the end of the 2022/23 season!
Joe Willock has had more than his fair share of injuries and then when fit has struggled to get a run of form and indeed matches at times.
Matthias Jaissle insisted on keeping the former Arsenal player this summer rather than Joe Willock getting sold to a club in Turkey.
He has suggested already this season that his form AND goals could be returning, here’s hoping.
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