Chelsea loanee Lewis Hall reveals key area Newcastle made him better

Newcastle are turning Lewis Hall into the player he always dreamed of becoming – and it’s all thanks to Eddie Howe.

Hall was a surprise departure from Chelsea last summer after making a few impressive appearances for the club before joining the Magpies on loan.

Certain clauses were met in that loan deal which has since made the move permanent for a total fee of £35million – not an easy price to meet for a 19-year-old.

But after a difficult start to life at St James’ Park, Hall is now proving why Newcastle were happy to pay a pretty penny for his services – and he has credited Howe with helping him improve.

After being converted from midfielder to left-back, Hall admitted his defense needed some fine-tuning.

Speaking to talkSPORT, the teenager said: “I think it was mainly the defensive part of my game (that needed to improve).

“Some aspects seem to me… Obviously, with my characteristics as a midfielder, I have never had this level of training of a full-back.

“So yeah, it was good to get that insight. Not just from the coach but the rest of the coaching staff.

“It was good of them to work with me individually behind the scenes, as well as with the team.

“I always learn by training, watching matches and seeing what other players do.”

Hall was limited to sporadic appearances from the bench during the first half of the season, accounting for just 90 minutes of Premier League action before New Year’s Day before seven consecutive matches in the dugout.

Since then, however, the youngster has become a key player under Howe, who has faced an injury crisis, while Hall has featured in eight consecutive league matches.

The Chelsea loanee admitted it has been difficult, but he is desperate to make a good impression on his manager.

“I’m not afraid to admit that when I joined the club I wasn’t necessarily the player I thought I could be.

“I think I was missing a few areas that the manager thought was very important to have as a full-back.

“I spent a few months working behind the scenes, training with the guys and doing extras, trying to work on those things.

“I feel like I’ve been in a good position for several months now. It’s about continuing to train well and getting the coach’s attention.”

Newcastle are next in action on Wednesday evening when they take on Manchester United at Old Trafford, live on talkSPORT.