Improvements in Perez’s play are so striking
AYOZE FEELS KEY PART OF UNITED TEAM
Chief sports writer AYOZE Perez feels his all-round game is continuing to improve after his hard-working display against Southampton. The Toon forward played a big part in helping create Newcastle’s second goal after a sweeping counter-attack resulted in a powerful box-to-box run before Dwight Gayle set up Kenedy to put daylight between the Magpies and the Saints. Perez - who played on Saturday despite the passing of his grandmother - believes the moment could be a key moment in United’s season. After the game he told the Chronicle: “The second goal came at a good time for us and the counter-attack was brilliant in terms of great movement. Everything went well. “It was a great finish which gave us a lot of confidence. “To go in 2-0 up in the first half was important. “It is important in this league and we kept it up in the second half. “It was a massive win for us and three important points. “I am really happy and the dressing room knew the importance of the result. “We did really well and we are one step closer to safety.” Perez has been an important player for United in 2018 so far with three goals since the turn of the year and a string of solid performances. The former Tenerife forward added: “I am happy to help others. “That is the role of a forward, sometimes you will score, other times you will contribute in other ways.
“That is what the manager wants from me.
“He wants me to be a link between the lines to try to help the wingers and to help Dwight.
“That is what I am trying to do. It was a great win for me and everybody else was happy.”
Perez’s goal helped mark Rafa Benitez’s two-year anniversary at the club with three points with the player stating after the game: “The boss has been here a while now and we are always working.
“He makes sure everybody understand that is the way it is.
“The game against Southampton was the proof. We did everything right in that game and we put in a solid performance.”