Magpies confident and 100 per cent ready after Rafa’s return
NUFC writer ISAAC HAYDEN believes that Newcastle United players have earned Rafa Benitez’s trust – and admits having the Magpies manager back on Tyneside has only increased their confidence levels further.
Benitez missed training last week and was absent from the dugout for the 1-0 victory over Swansea as he recovered from an operation earlier this month.
Yet the Spaniard – who communicated to his players ahead of the game by calling each of them individually before remaining in constant contact with his backroom staff throughout the match – returned to Tyneside on Monday and has taken training this week as Newcastle prepare to host Stoke City tomorrow.
Hayden believes the Magpies’ disciplined performance at the Liberty Stadium, in which they United coach Paco Moreno says Jonjo Shelvey is one of the best technical players he has worked with – including the likes of (above, left to right) Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Gareth Bale, and, right, Cristiano Ronaldo looking to kick-start his season in the Premier League. United boss Benitez and his coaching team know they have a big decision to make this weekend with a welcome selection headache in midfield. Paco said: “Jonjo is a good player for us, there is no doubt about that. “We can see him doing well in training and he’s glad to be back from suspension to play games. “Hopefully, we can play him soon, we’ll see what happens but he’s in good shape.” Newcastle will run out to play enacted Benitez’s gameplan to the letter in his absence, proves the close relationship which has been forged between the manager and his team.
“The manager has been back on the training pitch doing his normal work and preparing us for Stoke,” said Hayden as he handed out food parcels at the Newcastle West End Food Bank, generously supported by donations from United fans on match days.
“We just want to build on what we’ve done over the last two games. The Premier League’s a long season, it’s very intense and games are of a very high quality.
“We have to just make sure when we play we’re bang on and 100% ready. The manager always prepares us right and I’m sure by Saturday we will be.” in front of another sell-out crowd at St James’ Park against Stoke tomorrow afternoon.
Around 2,000 fans made the long journey to South Wales at the weekend with Paco again impressed by the support levels during his onegame stint in charge of the first team during Benitez’s absence due to a hernia issue.
Paco said: “Last season we spoke about the warmth of the supporters from the very start.
“It doesn’t matter what part of the country we play in, they are always there.
“That is something that not every club has.
“But we expect to see them everywhere we go.
“We are v ery pleased with them. I just want to say a big thank you to them and I hope they continue being behind us.”
Newcastle will look to register three straight Premier League wins this weekend for the first time since 2014 when they host Stoke at St James’ Park.
Benitez will be back in the dugout and able to relay messages to his squad in person, rather than by phone like last weekend.
Hayden said: “Last Sunday before the Swansea game the manager called a lot of individuals to have a one-on-one chat.
“It just shows he trusts a lot of the players; he knows he can have a fiveminute chat with you and that when you go on the pitch he knows you’ll be doing exactly what he wants you to be doing.” ■■To donate to the Newcastle West End Food Bank, visit newcastlewestend.foodbank.org.uk. IT MIGHT not be pretty but Rafa Benitez will be looking to do everything he can to absorb Stoke’s direct tactics.
City boss Mark Hughes was angered last weekend when Jose Mourinho branded his side as physical and reliant on long balls.
However, Newcastle fans won’t exactly be expecting a team that are pleasing on the eye.
And there’s no doubt that Newcastle will have to go toe-to-toe with Stoke if they want to get anything out of this game.
This one will be a real battle and test of United’s top-flight credentials.
Hughes, who has been banished to the stands at St James’ Park before for losing his cool, has snapped back at critics who say his team play ugly football.
He said: “I think it’s a bit lazy of people to keep on reverting to that ‘Stoke are a physical team’ thing.
“Goodness knows we had too many free-kicks against us, but that wasn’t because we’re a physical team, it was because the referee misinterpreted too many things, in my view.”
Newcastle fans won’t care about the style of their team or the manner of victory and Benitez will have his team welldrilled to take on the Potters.
If United show the same type of battling as they did in Swansea they should have enough to earn what would be an impressive victory against a well-established top-flight side. STUART ATTWELL (Warwicks)