Rarely seen Newcastle United ace Yoshinori Muto has claimed that he needs to remain positive about his situation at the club.
The Japanese international has played just nine minutes since the Boxing Day defeat to Liverpool, and has struggled to re adapt since coming back from the Asian Cup.
Speaking to the Chronicle, he said: “It has been really tough. I expected to play in the West Ham match but I couldn’t.
“It wasn’t my day at West Ham, as I lost my chance to play due to the injury that occurred but I think it is important that I remain positive.
“I need to be patient. I am the type of person who is not good at giving in.
“I will continue to train well in the training ground and wait for an opportunity to present itself.”
OPINION
You get the impression that time could be running out for Muto on Tyneside. The Japanese international is evidently a talent, but he hasn’t really hit it off in England, scoring just once since making the move to St. James’ Park. Yo be fair to the forward, prior to his call-up for Japan at the Asian Cup around the start of the year, his opportunities were coming much more readily, but now, with extra bodies coming into the squad over January, he has struggled to get on the pitch to make an impact. You would be surprised if he didn’t get another chance to prove himself before the end of the season, but really, the opening could be a very limited one. Newcastle aren’t exactly renowned for their squad overhauls, but you wouldn’t be too shocked if this summer, more than any in recent past, they aim to build a side capable of pushing on up the table. That could spell trouble for Muto if he can’t turn things around soon.