Newcastle United caretaker boss Graeme Jones explained holding back Joe Willock for their 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace.
The Magpies midfielder was dropped from Jones' first starting line-up as interim boss but played a cameo role in the 1-1 draw at Selhurst Park.
When asked why the former Arsenal man didn't feature from the start, Jones told reporters: “Joe Willock never had a pre-season here and what you don't know is that he has been getting an injection in his toe.
"Before Watford he got an injury in training and he ended up missing a couple of week's training."
And expanding on the revelation that Willock was getting treatment on his toe, Jones said: “Taking an injection and playing, if you're Lionel Messi and you're not fit, you're not going to be able to perform, it doesn't matter who you are so that was Joe's situation.
"Joe is going to be a fantastic player for this football club but he's just building his fitness back up."
Need a VPN? Or seeking to switch? Then support Tribal Football by clicking here to sign up with our official partners NordVPN. Not only will you receive the best VPN experience, but also great discounts by signing up via Tribal Football. Thanks for your support!