Rafa in Toon with survival

RAFA BENITEZ is still a shrewd enough tactician to be operating in the Premier League’s top six.

And I would be very surprised if the board at Arsenal, who visit Newcastle this weekend, didn’t seriously consider a move for him before they settled on Unai Emery as Arsene Wenger’s successor. The Newcastle manager (left) was criticised for the way he set up his team against Chelsea last month, but he came within three minutes of taking a point from just 19 per cent possession.

And to finish 10th last season, mainly with a squad of players he had brought up from the Championship, was a remarkable achievement.

There would be people doing cartwheels on Tyneside if you offered them the same again in 2018-19 – but I fear they will be a bit nearer the bottom than the top.

Arsenal still don’t look right defensively to me – Emery is bringing the best out of PierreEmerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette up front, but they still can’t shut the back gate.

And Petr Cech still looks uncomfortable when he is required to play the ball out from the back with his feet as a sweeper-keeper. At 36, I wonder if it’s a bit late in the day for Cech to reinvent himself.

I fancy Benitez to get something out of this game – and his fellow Spaniard’s Arsenal overhaul will be a long-term project, not a quick fix.