RYDER’S VERDICT
LEJEUNE TELLS WHY TOON STARS ADMIRE THEIR BOSS
NEWCASTLE United’s record at Anfield in the Premier League is simply awful with no wins since 1994 for the Magpies in this fixture.
However, Rafa Benitez has fared slightly better in recent times with a 2-2 draw against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side back in 2016.
Since then, Liverpool have become a different proposition with Mo Salah cruising his way to a 31-goal tally for the Reds following a £34m move from AS Roma.
At the moment he looks unstoppable and that’s before you start worrying about the threat of Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.
Does anybody really needs to be told the odds in this one?
If you do, Newcastle are 11/1 to win this game with William Hill with Liverpool the overwhelming favourites at 2/9.
Of course, this wretched winless run at Anfield has to end at some stage, and Liverpool aren’t great defensively with 32 goals conceded...but that’s still clutching at straws.
Defeat seems inevitable but the manner of the night will be defined by which Newcastle team turns up on Saturday.
If it’s the team that battled and fought their way into a 2-0 lead and held it until the 80th minute at AFC Bournemouth there could be a small chance of a respectable display or a point at the very best.
If it’s the team that crumbled in the closing stages on the South Coast it could be a long night. Chief Sports Writer FLORIAN Lejeune is confident that Rafa Benitez will not only lead Newcastle United to Premier League safety this season, but the French defender also feels the Toon boss will make the current Magpies team into “better players” before the campaign is over.
The centre-back has also revealed that Benitez’s presence on Tyneside was the main reason why he wanted to swap life in La Liga with Eibar to play in the North-East with a newly promoted club.
Lejeune says that the players simply “love” to play for Benitez and his impressive CV means he has the full respect of the dressing room.
After returning from a foot injury, Lejeune has shown why Benitez was keen to make him one of the key figures in his side and after shaking off some early problems, the 26-yearold is keen to repay the former Liverpool manager.
He told the Chronicle: “It is an absolute joy and honour to play for Rafa Benitez.
“To work with him each day is great for me. I came to sign for Newcastle United pretty much for Rafa Benitez, which I have mentioned a few times. Rafa Benitez has won so many trophies in different leagues and countries.
“He’s won the Champions League and Europa League and he has trained some very big teams such as Real Madrid and Liverpool.”
With Newcastle’s team mainly consisting of players who plied their trade in the Sky Bet Championship last season, the fans always knew that their first season back in the big time would be a tough one.
Benitez has only had limited funds to spend but he was determined to spend a chunk of it on the French defender.
Ahead of the trip to Benitez’s former club, Lejeune has spoken about the magic on the training pitch that makes the former Real Madrid gaffer a much-loved figure at the club’s Benton HQ.
Toon centre-back Lejeune added: “What’s really good about Rafa Benitez is that he’s got so much experience. Especially considering he has such a young team.
“What’s great is that he can see things that the players don’t always see. He is then able to guide you through situations and moments like that.”
Newcastle will need all of that guidance in their next fixture as they try to end a 24-year win-less run of trips to Anfield in the Premier League with Kevin Keegan the only manager to leave the famous stadium with three points to his name.
Despite the fact that Newcastle are the underdogs going into the game with the Champions League chasing Reds, Lejeune knows that the Magpies will be giving everything in their