Five minutes of added time was fine by me, says Monk
GARRY Monk refuted Rafa Benitez’s claims too much additional time was awarded during Leeds United’s last-gasp draw at St James’ Park, insisting: “I was happy with five minutes.”
Newcastle United were on course to claim all three points on Tyneside courtesy of Jamaal Lascelles’ 67th-minute header - only for the division’s top-scorer Chris Wood to net an injury-time equaliser.
The draw left Benitez angered by the amount of additional time awarded but Lilywhites’ boss Monk insisted five minutes as justified.
He said: “I was happy with five minutes.
“When they scored the goal there was a lot of slowing down the play, substitutions and injuries. So five minutes was fair.”
Despite a draw which saw third-placed Huddersfield Town close the gap on second-placed Newcastle to just eight points, Monk is adamant the Magpies will still achieve their “objective” of automatic promotion this season.
He added: “We knew it was going to be an extremely difficult game for us, playing against a really good side.
“Their objective all season has been automatic promotion — I said before the game I think they will do it and I still think they will.”
Newcastle dominated for large periods against Leeds and were denied a second goal due to a combination of poor finishing, good defending and excellent goalkeeping from Rob Green.
After a backs-against-the-wall display earned the Lilywhites a draw, Monk said: “I think we must have a granite chin.
“When you grab an equaliser at the end of a game like that, it feels much better in one changing room than the other.
“Of course, it felt good in ours. Every point is going to be crucial to every team and we are no different.
“We had an early chance which we should have taken but after that we gave away too many set-pieces.
“In the second half we did not play well but we showed what spirit we have, that determination to never give up.
“We have shown it many times and we were able to show our quality in that one moment.” Leeds United’s boss Garry Monk