Rock-bottom Benitez looks a beaten man

IS RAFA Benitez reaching the endgame at Newcastle?

A ninth winless match and Benitez spluttered through the inquest nursing a cold.

Only Newcastle could appoint a world-class manager, create hope and momentum, then squander it and grind him to this miserable point.

“We’re a bit under pressure because the time is short now,” said Benitez, hinting that something has to give.

Stay or go, he is already beaten down. Reputation dented. Newcastle adrift at the bottom of the Premier League.

Beaten by an owner who has failed to nurture his skills and experience, and to be ambitious. Beaten by a chronic lack of investment – where has all the £123million TV cash and transfer profit gone?

Only three top-flight teams in history had lost all five of their first home games before Beram Kayal’s first-half winner for Brighton.

It is Newcastle’s worst top-flight start since 1898. A third relegation of Mike Ashley’s 11-year ownership looms. A spark is needed and the options are all costly. Sack Benitez, pay

NEWCASTLE

£5m compensation, appoint a new boss with costly contract and give him £50m to spend in January. Or let Benitez sweat it out and increasingly shoulder criticism.

Skipper Jamaal Lascelles defended his boss. “I don’t think anyone in the stadium can question the manager about anything,” he said. “As players we’ve got to take responsibility ourselves.”

Brighton’s Lewis Dunk believes his England call-up has taken his game to a new level. The defender was brilliant in keeping Newcastle at bay.

“That was probably my best performance of the season,” said Dunk.

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