- Harvey Barnes has been welcomed back into the Newcastle starting line-up
- It comes after a three-and-a-half month stretch on the bench for the Magpies
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Harvey Barnes returns to Leicester for the first time, on a high from his first major honour, but the winger would no doubt admit his move to Newcastle has not played out as he best imagined.
The 27-year-old has made only 15 Premier League starts since his £38million transfer in the summer of 2023. Injury and the form of Anthony Gordon have been the key factors behind his reduced involvement.
Barnes, though, seized his chance last month when Gordon’s suspension meant he came in for a 1-0 win at West Ham – laying on the only goal for Bruno Guimaraes – and he kept his place for the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool. At Wembley, he played a role in the second goal of a 2-1 win as Newcastle ended their 70-year wait for a domestic trophy.
But it was only when he returned to his Northumberland home the day after the final that he had a chance to take stock.
‘For me, it was probably mixed emotions,’ said Barnes. ‘It’s been an up and down season, I’ve obviously not played as much as I would have liked, and all of a sudden there was a chaotic week.
‘Bang, bang. I’ve played two games and I’ve won a cup final and you’re there at home with a winners medal. It was a mix of everything, and you do just sit there and try to take it all in. I had a moment to breathe and it was like, “Wow”.
Harvey Barnes played a crucial role in Newcastle’s historic Carabao Cup win over Liverpool
The winger had been subjected to a lengthy period on the bench prior to the Wembley clash
‘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. 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. If you’re not, then you’re going to be back at square one. Hopefully it showed I was ready to take my chance and I did a job for the team.’
Despite his struggle for game-time, Barnes has scored 10 times in the league for the Magpies. And he knows that the cup win has secured his legacy on Tyneside, a fact reinforced when 300,000 fans turned out for the bus-parade celebration last weekend.
‘You start to understand that a little bit more (legacy),’ he said. ‘You ask most players when they join and that is one of the motivations, coming here to win a trophy.
‘The parade was amazing. We expected a lot, but when you’re actually up there seeing it all, it was like, “Wow!”. You realise how much it really does mean to the fans up here. They’re football daft and it was amazing to be part of it.
‘It’s been said a few times that we won’t have to buy a drink in Newcastle ever again, and I’ll hold people to that! I’m looking forward to it. I’ll be popping up here for a few drinks when I retire, definitely!’
