Lascelles’ has played a key role – Ritchie

MATT Ritchie has revealed that Jamaal Lascelles played a key role in ensuring Newcastle United players maintained their focus during a turbulent summer.

Rafa Benitez and Mike Ashley embarked upon a cold war of words over the club’s transfer business, with the Magpies manager suggesting promises from the owner had not been kept.

There were even occasions where it was claimed that Benitez was on the brink of quitting due to his frustrations, rumours Ritchie admits reached the dressing room.

But the Scotland international – who has provided four assists already this season, the secondhighest in the Premier League – insists the Newcastle squad avoided becoming distracted.

And the primary reason for that was the “big impact” Lascelles – who has headed in the winner in each of United’s last two victories – in the dressing room.

“Last season he [Lascelles] scored a few to be fair to him from set pieces but he’s scored the winning goal in the last couple of games,” Ritchie told TalkSport’s Jim White Show.

“Rightly so he gets the plaudits [after his goals], but he’s been fantastic throughout the club.

“In the dressing room the captain has a big impact. When the summer wasn’t smooth sailing, he had a big part to play in the dressing room being calm and focused, and his performances so far this season have been fantastic. Hopefully that can continue.

“[When the speculation is on-going] the only thing you can do is just keep your head down and get on with it. You can’t affect it as a player, so you have to make sure you train well and just put yourself in the window for selection.

“Day-to-day training is what’s key for us, we just need to focus on that and, if selected, perform.”

United began the campaign with back-to-back Premier League defeats but have followed that start with three-successive victories, the first time they have achieved such a feat in the top flight since November 2014.

After five rounds of fixtures, Newcastle find themselves in fourth position in the table – ahead of the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Arsenal.

Ritchie admits the standings make for pleasing reading at the moment, but insists the squad will not become complacent.

“The table is a pretty sight at the minute but obviously it’s early doors. We’re not going to get carried away and we know there’s a long season ahead of us,” the 28-year-old added.