Gary Neville has said on his podcast that Newcastle United striker Chris Wood is influential for the team despite not scoring.
The former Manchester United right-back and Sky Sports pundit has outlined how Wood is helping his Newcastle team in a way that the St. James’ Park faithful have not seen for a number of years.
Neville made the comments about the former Leeds United striker following the match against Aston Villa at St. James’ Park at the weekend.
Eddie Howe’s side won the Premier League game 1-0.
Wood started the match and played for the entire 90 minutes.
Neville said about Wood on his podcast: “I like the signing of Wood. He had a big impact on the game today. The little flick-ons that he wins in the last 10 minutes that just keep the ball alive in that corner means it’s not coming back at you all the time.
“That fixed presence – I don’t think Newcastle have had that for a few years whereby they’ve got somebody to play up to. Yes, he’s not going to score a great amount of goals,
“I don’t really care about to be honest with you. It’s not his job in the team. I know he’s a centre-forward and people might find that a strange thing to say.
“But the players I liked playing with at Manchester United weren’t always the best goalscorers. I wanted players, as a full-back, that I could hit and that were available and that could show for me. That we could play off.”
Chris Wood was an insurance signing for Newcastle
Wood has made four Premier League appearances for Newcastle since his move from Burnley in the January transfer window.
He has not scored.
The 30-year-old striker scored three goals in 17 Premier League matches for the Clarets this season.
So, clearly Wood is not at his goalscoring best at the moment.
However, we know that the striker is a proven Premier League goalscorer.
After all, the former Leeds star has scored 50 goals in 159 Premier League appearances so far in his career.
The entire point of signing Wood in January was for Newcastle to get a striker for the short term who could do the job given the injury to Callum Wilson.
Wood was an insurance signing and a short-term fix, and if he helps Newcastle stay in the Premier League, then it would be job well done.
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