There was a sense that we truly kick-started our Champions League campaign in Brussels in midweek. Now we need to follow that performance up and do the same in the Premier League.
Defensively we’ve done well all season but we’ve been working as a unit to make the attacking part click. Wednesday night was a glimpse into what we can do going forward, and hopefully that can continue today against Nottingham Forest.
This is a big game going into the international break. Forest may not have hit the heights of last season just yet, but they’re a top side with top players and we’ve started campaigns slowly more than once before coming on strong. So this will be a tough fixture, as they all are in the Premier League, and we’ll respect our opponents.
That’s what we did against Union Saint-Gilloise. The defeat to Arsenal seven days ago was tough to take but we knew we needed to bounce back and show a reaction. And no matter who you’re playing, in the Champions League, away from home, a win is always massive.
Union are top of the Belgian Pro League for a reason and they’d already beaten PSV, who are a good side, so it was a great performance from the full squad and a good night all round.
The work to keep a fifth clean sheet of the season started from the front, but as a backline we thrive off keeping the opposition out and giving the attacking players a platform to win us the game.
New players have come into the team and it was bound to take a bit of time for them to figure out our patterns of play and movements. We know how relentless it is with a game every three days but we’ve got the squad to do that now – as well as players to come back from injury to boost us further.
It was really good news that Tino Livramento’s injury isn’t as bad as first feared, and that he will be back relatively soon. We play in the same position, but I’ve had competition throughout my whole career and we always help and support each other. I wish him all the best in his recovery and I’m pleased it’s not a long-term injury.
At the age of 35, I feel the fittest I’ve ever felt. There are so many games, and you have to be ready to take every opportunity. I’m enjoying my football.
I was happy to get minutes in midweek and long may it continue.
Finally, it’s always good to see Elliot Anderson back at St. James’ Park and even better to see him return as a full England international. It doesn’t surprise me that, having moved elsewhere to showcase his abilities, he’s shown what an unbelievable player he is. He’s a Geordie through and through and I have the utmost respect for him.
