RONDON SAYS TOON BUS WILL PARK AT CITY

SALOMON RONDON admits Newcastle are prepared to park the bus against all the top teams.

Toon boss Rafa Benitez was hammered for his side’s negative tactics against Chelsea with TV pundit Jamie Redknapp calling them “embarrassing” and “hard to watch”.

Newcastle go to reigning champions Manchester City on Saturday and their striker Rondon accepts they will be forced to play defensively again.

Rondon (below, with Benitez) said: “When you play against teams like this, you try not to concede goals. We played defensively against Chelsea and the possession was 81 per cent to them. But we still created chances. “We played really well in the first 45 minutes and after that we conceded a penalty and lost the game. But we have to look at the best moments for us. We have to move on to the next game with hard work.” Benitez used the same tactics against City at St James’ Park last season as he insisted their first priority was to keep their goal difference down rather than try to win.

Rondon believes they must come through their difficult early tests with Arsenal to follow after City and the international break.

He added: “Our schedule is difficult. We will have played the big five in the league early. At home you try for three points, but teams like Chelsea and Tottenham make it difficult.”