The 24-year-old midfielder yesterday joined Newcastle on loan from Aston Villa for the remainder of the season.

The deal went through just hours after reports emerged that it had fallen through because he had failed a medical.

Ireland joined Villa in an £8million switch from Manchester City during the summer of last year, but has struggled to find his best form for the club.

He made his Villa debut at St James' Park on August 22 and found himself on the wrong end of a 6-0 drubbing as Andy Carroll scored his first Barclays Premier League hat-trick.