We need to find our focus fast, warns Benitez
Adeeply concerned Rafa Benitez wants his players to toughen up mentally after Newcastle’s promotion charge faltered yet again.
His team were awful for the most part at Ipswich and Benitez will spend this week regrouping before looking to turn things round in the final three games.
‘We know we still have to win games — and we must improve a lot,’ said Benitez. ‘ We were not focused or mentally ready. It is difficult to explain that but that is the reality.’
despite the defeat and the fact they have won just twice in eight league games, Newcastle are still in the box seat.
‘We are paying for our mistakes and we have to learn from that. But it is still in our hands,’ said Benitez, whose side are six points clear of third-place Huddersfield with three games to play.
‘This was not us at our best and we have to change quickly. We all have to take responsibility — we win and lose together.
‘We know something is wrong and we have to analyse the situation. We have had a lot of very good performances this season and we need to do it again.’
Newcastle definitely do not like Mondays. Goals from Freddie Sears, david McGoldrick and emyr Huws consigned them to their 11th consecutive away league defeat on a Monday.
The game, in front of 25,684 — the highest attendance of the season at portman Road — was celebrated as Sir Bobby Robson day in honour of the former england boss, who managed both clubs.
This win, and results elsewhere, made certain of Ipswich’s survival in the Championship for another season, though many of their supporters will be left wondering why they have not produced more performances like this. Ipswich manager Mick McCarthy, whose relationship with fans has all but broken down, was delighted to see them leave happy for a change.
He said: ‘The players are feeling it a bit and I did say to them that there were 25,000 coming here to watch. I said, “I’m sure none of them are coming to watch us, the way we’ve been playing here”.’
Ipswich had the ball in the back of the Newcastle net in the 12th minute but McGoldrick’s touch on from a Tom lawrence free-kick was ruled out for a foul by Christophe Berra.
But McCarthy’s men went ahead three minutes before the break after Myles Kenlock won the ball in the centre circle from Matt Ritchie. He fed lawrence, who ran into the box before unselfishly passing to Sears, who made it four goals in as many games despite Ritchie’s frantic attempt to clear.
daryl Murphy’s 62nd minute leveller came from Christian Atsu’s sprint down the left and the Ireland forward was unmarked to sweep home his cross. But they were only on terms for seven minutes, Grant Ward and Sears combining to carve open the visitors’ defence for McGoldrick to stab over the line at the far post.
And Huws finished superbly in the 93rd minute when he volleyed in a Brett pitman cross to secure Ipswich’s first back-to-back wins of the season, leaving Newcastle with a nervous run-in.