LONGSTAFF SHOWS HIS STAR QUALITY
NEWCASTLE manager Rafa Benitez is touting Sean Longstaff for England — he should really clarify which level.
For if the 21-year- old starts to add goals to his already exemplary game, as he did here for the first time in the Premier League, then there is an argument for him being accelerated into Gareth Southgate’s senior squad.
It is not just that Longstaff is playing well, he is outperforming everyone on the pitch, every week it seems.
To think, he would probably have been on loan at League One Portsmouth if not for a spate of injuries at St James’ Park before Christmas. mas.
As it is, he has been een the inspiration n behind the four r straight home e victories which have taken Benitez’s side to 13th and seven points clear of danger.
Another mainstay y of that run has been en Switzerland centre back Fabian Schar, who scored his third goal of the season and was onlyl shaded ffor star-man honours by local hero Longstaff.
‘He’s one of our own,’ sang the home crowd, and they must be hoping he remains so for a long time yet.
‘He is an example for everyone,’ said Benitez. ‘He’s a great lad, a very good professional and is trying to improve. He had to play because we had injuries, but he deserves to stay in the team.’
Supporters are hoping Benitez stays, too. His deal is up in the summer and he said: ‘We have to be sure we have a project, ambition and want to be a top side in the Premier League. We can do it.’
The beauty of the breakthrough goal was in stark contrast to the stodgy start made by both teams.
In true Swiss tradition, this was like clockwork, for Schar has a liking for the 24th minute. It was during last month’s visit of Cardiff, after an equally uninspiring opening, that the defender collected the ball on halfway and waltzed through to score. And at the same juncture here he took matters into his own hands. This time, though, it was more mesmeric than mazy. Collecting a pass 35 yards out, the purpose of his forward stride was a clue as to what would follow, a stunning right- footed drive tthat clipped the inside of the post where it meets the stanchion. Longstaff then smashed his goal on 38 minutes, the midfielder starting and finishing the move as he volleyed into the bottom corner from Matt Ritchie’s centre. Burnley should have halved the deficit when James Tarkowski somehow blazed over from six yards on the stroke of half-time. It may have been different had that gone in, but Sean Dyche’s visitors offered little in response. Dyche said: ‘We did not perform well enough in the first half. We were way off our mark.’ The night had belonged to Longstaff, not for the first time, and it will not be the last.