'Suddenly': Harvey Barnes has spoken about repaying fans' faith after lifting club's first trophy in over 50 years

Harvey Barnes' time on Tyneside probably hasn't gone how he'd have imagined it since his £39 million move from Leicester City to Newcastle United.

Newcastle's winger with an eye for goal will likely come up against his old club tonight as he's earned the right to keep his place after his recent performance.

Anthony Gordon has kept Barnes out of the team for the longest time, but following his three-match suspension and the fact that he's still recovering from the knock he took playing for England against Latvia, all signs point towards a Barnes start tonight.

We're sure the 27-year-old would love the chance to have a crack at his former club.

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Eddie Howe has struggled to find a way to have both Barnes and Gordon on the pitch together and make it work leaving Barnes relegated to being a super-sub. Injuries also haven't helped his case.

However, the last month has given Barnes hope that he's turned a corner as he told The Northern Echo.

“That’s how quickly football can change. That’s why you’ve always got to be ready to step in, no matter what your situation is.

“I think before West Ham I hadn’t started in the Premier League for three-and-a-half months. You go from not starting to playing in a cup final and that’s why you have to be ready for whenever you’re called upon to step in.

“You have these spells where things aren’t quite going for you, whatever it is, every player will go through these phases. I just think you’ve got to knuckle down and keep your head down and make sure whenever you’re called on whenever your chance does come.

“I hadn’t started in over three months, and then I played at West Ham and suddenly I’m playing in a cup final.”

Whatever happens next for Harvey Barnes his name is now in the Newcastle record books after being a part of that team that ended such a long run without a trophy, and that's not something he's taking for granted.

“You start to understand that a little bit more. But not to the level that the fans will understand it. You ask most players when they join, and that is one of the motivations, coming here to win a trophy.

“At the start of every year, that is what we have said. That was the ambition and it showed that we wanted to get there and lifting the trophy shows how much all the players wanted to do it.

“The opportunity came around to win something and we took it. It is amazing to have repaid that faith from the fans.”