Delays over signings are real big deal

finished excellently from Jonjo Shelvey’s long ball once Mitrovic fell over to double Newcastle’s lead.

Some supporters questioned the decision to sign Atsu for £6.5m from Chelsea after a mixed first campaign on Tyneside, but he clearly has Benitez’s faith at the moment.

Jamaal Lascelles remains Newcastle captain and he had his usual skipper’s pre-match note section in the programme, but the centreback cannot get in the team at the moment.

In fairness, part of the reason behind that is the slight knee injury he has been suffering from.

It is merely “precautionary”, he stresses in the programme, but his lack of football has allowed Florian Lejeune to slot into the centre-half berth alongside Ciaran Clark.

With Clark being left-footed, and arguably United’s player of the season last term, and Lejeune being a right footer who offers a ball-playing option in defence, it is a combination which could work really well. Even though Lascelles is back to fitness, he is not starting matches at the moment. If this line-up is anything like the XI Benitez will field against Spurs – which you would suspect the majority of it will be – then Lascelles looks like missing the season opener. The midfielder has been at United for three years since his controversial switch from Wearside to Tyneside, having represented his boyhood Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez watches on as his side comfortably beat Hellas Verona club in both the Premier League and the Championship.

Despite being a regular in the side last season in defensive midfield, the 27-year-old seemingly faces an uncertain United future.

The arrival of Mikel Merino, as well as Mo Diame regularly being deployed in a holding role in preseason rather than at No 10 where he featured for most of last season, appears to have pushed Colback far down the pecking order.

Jonjo Shelvey – who was named as captain again against Verona – appears a cert to start in one of the two midfield positions in Benitez’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, while it seems likely Merino, Hayden and Diame will be the preferred options alongside him given that all three featured in this match.

With that in mind, and given at least three Championship clubs – including Aston Villa – have enquired about Colback’s potential availability so far this summer, the Geordie midfielder is potentially edging towards the St James’ Park exit door.

Will we see Colback step out on the St James’ turf as a Magpies player again?

Or does this spell the beginning of the end of his United career?

Benitez will not be fooled by this dominant Newcastle display.

Yes, he will have been impressed by some of the individual performances.

He will also realise this was a poor Verona side who are evidently far behind United in their pre-season preparations, given the fact Serie A starts later than the Premier League.

In Spurs this weekend, Newcastle face last season’s runners-up and a side who have appeared imperious over the last two years or so.

Harry Kane, Dele Alli et al will offer a serious examination of the Magpies’ Premier League credentials and United will have to be at their best to get anything out of the game.

At least all the posturing is almost over. After 91 days without football at St James’ Park, the new season is almost upon us.

Now Benitez and Newcastle’s real test begins in earnest. Chief Sports Writer RAFA Benitez says he expected Newcastle United’s work in the transfer window to be “completed” by this stage.

The Spaniard did not take a summer holiday and had targeted eight new signings in good time for the new season starting.

However, with a week to go until the big kick-off in the Premier League, he is still two or three players light.

The Magpies have been unable to offload a host of squad players with the likes of Emmanuel Riviere and Massadio Haidara both turning down moves as interested clubs cannot match their wages.

After the 2-0 win over Hellas Verona, Benitez said: “We were expecting more players and the team or the squad completed.

“It is not the case so we have to manage with the players we have at the moment and they are doing well.”

Benitez indicated he has not quite decided his starting line-up against Spurs next weekend.

He added: “I think it always important for the players to know they must compete.

“We will have injuries and suspensions. Everybody has to be ready.”

Newcastle’s win over Hellas Vernoa means the Magpies lost just one game in six during pre-season.

Benitez said: “We had chances, we scored goals then we had more chances. Defensively we had some danger but attacking we had good players.

“There is plenty of room for improvement but at least we have positives.

“Normally when have pre-season you want in brackets easy games.

“We have played against teams in the top division from Germany and Italy. So it was more or less what we were expecting.”