Diame linked with January move to Villa
7/10 Appearances: 6 (+2 sub) Goals: 0 LOSES points for the red card which cost United the match against Tottenham Hotspur and which saw him suspended for three matches but the 25-year-old has regained his starting place in recent weeks and shown promising form.
If Shelvey is on point, he can be devastating – but he is yet to provide a goal or an assist and those statistics need to improve. 8½/10 Appearances: 6 (+3 sub) Goals: 1 A FANS’ favourite already, the 21-year-old midfielder has been mentioned by some pundits as arguably the Premier League signing of the summer.
The Spaniard oozes class in possession and Newcastle fans were celebrating when his loan deal became a permanent move last month.
Merino’s dynamism and ability to pick a pass have been greatly missed in recent weeks and Benitez will hope the midfielder’s lower-back injury does not prove to be too serious. 4½/10 Appearances: 1 (+6 sub) Goals: 0 IF TRUTH be told, the 30-year-old has rarely shown his best form for Newcastle ever since he signed, never mind so far this season.
Preferred as a defensive midfielder this term – he was predominantly utilised as a No 10 in the Championship – Diame was poor at Turf Moor during his only start of the season so far. Appearances: 11 Goals: 0 WHEN Ritchie is on form he makes Newcastle tick. That is how influential he is to the Magpies’ side.
Four assists already this season shows how important he is going to be to the Magpies’ hopes and his tireless workrate is infectious.
Needs to start adding goals to his top-flight game, however, and his form has dipped a little in recent weeks. 7/10 Appearances: 10 (+1 sub) Goals: 1 A FEW eyebrows were raised on Tyneside when Benitez made the Ghana winger’s deal permanent over the summer but, given the way the transfer window panned out, Atsu has proven to be a vital permanent signing. The 25-year-old’s pace and trickery has proved to be an important weapon in tight games, but Atsu remains inconsistent. He must add greater goals and assists to his game, seeing as he only has one of each so far this season. 1 (+5 sub) 6½/10 9 (+1 sub) 4/10
0 THE 22-year-old was Newcastle’s most expensive summer acquisition at £10m but the winger has started only one top-flight game so far for United.
In recent weeks, Murphy has appeared low on confidence and Benitez must ensure he restores this talented youngster’s belief over the course of the season. 7/10 Appearances: 10 (+1 sub) Goals: 1 PERHAPS it is because Dummett has been out injured but the player who appears to be receiving the brunt of criticism so far this season is Perez.
Yet Benitez likes what the 24-year-old brings to the No 10 role, particularly the Spaniard’s workrate.
Perez has dipped over recent weeks and was dropped for the last game. He must add greater goals and assists to his game.
2 NEWCASTLE fans wanted to see a top-level striker signed in the summer but the £4.8m acquisition of Joselu (below) was the only forward Benitez was allowed to bring in.
The 27-year-old started the season promisingly, showing he had an excellent all-round game, but his lack of goals is proving to be a concern.
Must start offering a better goal return than one every 360 minutes. Appearances: 0 (+2 sub) Goals: 1 ONE goal in just 30 minutes of football is a very good return but it is primarily the Serbian’s own fault he has played so little after his threegame suspension for a needless off-the-ball challenge on West Ham’s Manuel Lanzini.
Perhaps the 23-year-old should have been afforded greater game time so far this season but Benitez clearly does not trust him – and that does not appear likely to change. 5/10 Appearances: 3 (+6 sub) Goals: 0 THE 23-goal forward of last season is yet to appear, with Gayle starting the season looking sluggish and short of pace.
Was unlucky to have a goal wrongly disallowed for offside last time out which would have broken his duck, but the 27-year-old will hope he can now earn a run in the team and rediscover his best form. NEWCASTLE United midfielder Mo Diame continues to be linked with a January move away from St James' Park.
Cardiff City were encouraged to sign Diame over the weekend by ex-Bluebirds' striker Nathan Blake - and now Aston Villa have been credited with an interest in the midfielder.
Villa are believed to be eyeing a move for the 30-year-old – and Diame is said to be keen to be reunited with his former manager at Hull City, Steve Bruce.
Diame has struggled for gametime at St James' Park this season - he has started only once in the Premier League, although he has made six substitute appearances - and finds himself behind Mikel Merino, Isaac Hayden and Jonjo Shelvey in the midfield pecking order.
Although he was deployed as a No 10 in the Championship last season, Rafa Benitez appears keen to play Diame as a defensive midfielder this term.
However, his lack of gametime at Newcastle appears to have alerted second-tier clubs to his potential availability during the mid-season window.
Blake in particular was keen to propose Cardiff manager Neil Warnock make a January move for Diame
He said: “The person who fits that bill for me is Mohamed Diame, who spends far too much of his time sitting on the bench up at Newcastle United and who must be itching to play regularly in a successful side.
“Diame, for me, is everything the Bluebirds need for the final push under Neil Warnock.
“Strong, powerful, athletic, experienced and with the know-how of what is required to go up from the Championship.
“He was a kingpin for Newcastle when they won the title last season, but his game time has been far more limited in the Premier League under Rafa Benitez.
“In fact, Diame has only started one league game this season and that is a waste of a player of his undoubted ability.
“He ticks all the boxes for me. He could play as the holding midfielder instead of Aron Gunnarsson; he could play next to him with the energy to go box to box.
“Or he could play ahead of Gunnarsson, in the more creative number No 10 role. He could fulfil any of those functions with equal aplomb.”