Fans and squad both deserve credit for Magpies’ turnaround

RAFA Benitez has praised his Newcastle United squad and the club’s “spectacular” fans for the Magpies’ “sensational” form in 2018.

The Spaniard set his side a target of 40 points at the start of the campaign – and, after a dramatic upsurge in form in 2018, they broke past that mark with five games to spare following the 2-1 win over Arsenal on Sunday.

Since the turn of the year, United have collected 22 points – including 16 from the last 21 available – from 12 games, a tally only bettered by the current top-four sides.

The Magpies’ only defeats in the Premier League so far this year have come away at title winners Manchester City and Champions League semifinalists Liverpool.

Some pundits have described Newcastle’s squad as a “Championship side playing in the Premier League”, but United currently find themselves in 10th – and with a realistic chance of challenging for an eighth-placed finish.

For the Magpies to be in such a lofty position with five Premier League fixtures remaining is a significant achievement.

And Benitez believes both Newcastle’s squad and supporters deserve immense credit for contributing to United’s success this season.

“The players deserve huge credit for coming up from the Championship and, with not a great deal of resources

compared with others, to have the season they are having,” Benitez told Spanish station Radio Marca during a special programme. “People were saying with 35 we would be safe, or with 38 we would be safe; I kept saying 40, 41 points is virtual...