WHY SO SLOW OUT OF THE BLOCKS? Maestro Merino’s the Real thing
TALK of takeovers is rife in Newcastle’s dressing room. And talk of this team and the club’s potential, European football even. Talk of Saturday’s match-winner Mikel Merino being good enough for Barcelona or Real Madrid, not that they want the exciting young Spaniard to leave.
For once, there appears to be no trouble in Toon. The only thing celebrated more than Merino’s headed winner this past week has been the statement released by owner Mike Ashley confirming he wants to sell the club.
It has certainly got the players talking, especially as Amanda Staveley and her Middle East investment fund have begun due diligence.
‘ There’s obviously interest which is exciting for everyone,’ said goalkeeper Rob Elliot. ‘Hopefully someone comes in who can take the club forward.
‘The infrastructure here is fantastic. As players we can’t do a lot about it, we just watch the telly and read the papers like everyone else, but we just hope everything works out for the club because we’ve been through a lot these past few years.
‘ There’s now a positive vibe around the place and we’ve got to make sure we continue with that.’
They won’t want to look back on this match for too long. For 85 minutes it was hard work, for those off the pitch as much as on it. But in Merino, the 21-year-old whose late header sent the Magpies into seventh position, they have unearthed a real gem. Elliot and his team-mates know it.
‘I certainly see him in a bracket where clubs like Barcelona and Real Madrid come into it, considering his age,’ he said.
‘It’s only a matter of time before the very top clubs come looking at him. But we want to be a top club, too, we want him to stay here.’ The midfielder’s loan deal from Borussia Dortmund was made permanent at a cost of £6.5million this month. It was a bargain.
Benitez, however, is eyeing far more expensive purchases in the eventuality of a takeover and new investment. For now though, he is not getting carried away.
‘We have to keep doing the same things and stick together,’ said the Spaniard.
Rafa Benitez has never lost a home league game in English football against a coach who has managed the England national team (won 17, drawn four).
(4-2-3-1): Elliot 6.5; Yedlin 6, Lascelles 7, Manquillo 6; Hayden 5.5 (Merino 56min, 7), Shelvey 6.5; Ritchie 6.5, Perez 5 (Diame 66, 5), Atsu 7; Joselu 5.5 (Mitrovic 78). Darlow, Clark, Murphy, Gamez.
Merino 86. Lejeune, Lascelles, Manquillo, Joselu. Rafa Benitez 7.
(4-4-2): Speroni 6.5; Ward 5, Dann 6, Sakho 6, Van Aanholt 6; McArthur 6 (Sako 88), Cabaye 6, Milivojevic 5.5, Schlupp 5; Townsend 7, Zaha 6.5 (Loftus-Cheek 76).
Hennessey, Tomkins, Fosu-Mensah, Puncheon, Riedewald. Cabaye, Van Aanholt. Roy Hodgson 6. Stuart Atwell 7.
52,251.