Knee bother, we can cope without Jonjo – Benitez
UNITED BOSS HAPPY WITH MIDFIELD OPTIONS FOR ANFIELD TRIP
RAFA Benitez is satisfied with the options he has in midfield to replace injured Jonjo Shelvey at Anfield tonight.
Shelvey (below) will not face his old club Liverpool due to a knee injury and faces further tests with fears he could be missing until the end of the month.
Benitez must decide who replaces him from Isaac Hayden, Mikel Merino and Mo Diame in the tough Premier League encounter on Merseyside.
He told The Chronicle: “Jonjo will not be available for this game because of the knock on his knee and we have to assess what is going on.
“Hayden, Merino and Diame are all training really well so we have three players for two positions if we decide to play with two in the middle.
“We’re quite happy with that in terms of competition because they’re doing well.”
Newcastle face a Liverpool side that have scored 26 goals in 2018 so far and Benitez knows he must plan his tactics with caution.
He said: “I think we’re talking about a team that can score goals in attack but also when they counterattack. Sometimes you can press them high to stop them playing.
“It could be fine. But then they scored five against FC Porto, four against Manchester City and West Ham so they’re not a team you can attack too much. “They have pace and ability up front. “You can’t defend all the time either because they get close to your box and create chances. So it’s important to find the balance. “It’s always what we are trying to do, be strong in defence but at the same time we want to attack and create chances.”
Despite the snow, the Magpies are expected to be backed by a sizeable – and vocal – group of supporters.
And Benitez believes they can rally his side in the same way the Kop can inspire the Reds.
He said: “The atmosphere at Anfield is amazing and when Liverpool do well they are right behind their team. It’s similar for us.
“When we do well the fans help the team to do even better.
“I think our away fans are very vocal so hopefully they have a safe journey and they will be fine, hopefully, they have smiles on their faces when they come back as it means we have done something good.”
Newcastle have not won a league game at Anfield since 1994.
But Benitez said: “Every year is different, they have a different team and so do we. It is a different situation.
“The last year we drew and hopefully we can play well, score goals and change the stats.”