Joe Willock left Arsenal in 2021 to join Newcastle United after a successful loan spell on Tyneside before making the move permanent.
Today at St. James’ Park, Arsenal will face a difficult test against Newcastle United. With a win over Eddie Howe’s side before Tottenham’s match against Chelsea on Monday, the Gunners can leapfrog their North London rivals.
Mikel Arteta will face a familiar face in Joe Willock this afternoon, after the former Arsenal midfielder left the Emirates Stadium in 2021 to join Newcastle. Willock, like Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe, graduated from the Hale End academy but struggled to break into the starting XI.
Willock initially joined the Magpies on loan before completing a permanent move to St. James’ Park after making an impression on Tyneside. Eddie Howe has aided the 24-year-old’s development at Newcastle, but he maintains his Arsenal ties by imitating Thierry Henry’s infamous corner flag celebration whenever he scores.
Willock did the same against Manchester United at Old Trafford, scoring in the 3-0 victory over Erik ten Hag’s side. Saka has done the same for Arsenal at times, and the two have clearly joked about who is copying who.
“My Thierry one is my current favorite.” Bukayo Saka, a friend of mine, messaged me and said I had copied his celebration! “I told him it wasn’t his, it was Thierry’s,” Willock has previously stated.
When he takes on Arsenal this afternoon, the 24-year-old will have another chance to prove he’s the midfield star who got away. Arteta recouped £20 million for Willock’s departure to Newcastle, but given Kai Havertz’s current struggles in the team, he may be wishing he had kept hold of the former Gunners star instead of signing the Germany international for triple the price.
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