Mohamed Diame explains what he did to '˜refresh' after '˜sleepy' start at Newcastle

Diame will face former club Hull City in an EFL Cup quarter-final tie at the KCOM Stadium tonight.

The midfielder scored two goals in Newcastle’s 6-0 fourth-round win over Preston North End last month.

But Diame, signed from Hull in the summer for £4.5million, has struggled for form since arriving on Tyneside.

“I’m not pleased with my performances,” said the 29-year-old, who helped Hull win promotion to the Premier League last season.

“I’m disappointed with my start. I know last season was very long and very tough, and was my first in the Championship, so maybe I needed to refresh myself.

“I need to wake up because I have been sleeping since I got here.”

Asked why he had been “sleeping” on the field up to now, Diame added: “I feel it was a long season last year, so I used the international break (earlier this month) to refresh and see my family back home in Africa.

“I feel great now, and am convinced what I can give to Newcastle.

“To be honest, I have not played the football I have wanted to play since I’ve been here. The manager will always say he wants more from me, even if I am playing well.

“He is pushing me and telling me he wants more. All the good things will come if I keep working.

“Everyone who knows me, realises my game is about pushing and using my power.

“But I felt I was always running slowly. I did not recognise myself. Now, I say I am OK. I just needed to work a bit harder.

“The last game I felt at my best was the Championship play-off final.”

Diame says it was an “easy” decision to leave Hull and join Newcastle given the off-the-field problems at the KCOM Stadium. Manager Steve Bruce left the club and successor Mike Phelan was left with a threadbare squad.

Asked if he believe Hull supporters understood his decision, Diame said: “Yes, I Think they understand my decision to leave.

“When you see the size of the squad in pre-season and the manager leaving, it is not like I left Hull for a bad club.

“Newcastle called me. Rafa (Benitez) called me and it was an easy decision to make.”