No concerns about on defensive again
BOSS LAYS OUT HIS PLAN TO COMBAT CITY
impossible to beat City in their own backyard.
Manchester United were the only side to triumph in the Premier League at Eastlands last term.
Benitez said: “The only way to stop them is by being very precise in your movements or drop off a little bit. If you drop off it is the short blanket again and the other goal is too far.
“So we have to find the balance. We will have to try to adjust things.
“We did that last year and we more or less had that approach in some games and we finished 10th.
“So that means that approach is right.”
Newcastle top-10 finish was an impressive achievement last term but Benitez knows he cannot dine on that forever.
His first target is very simple this season – to reach the magic 40-point mark as soon as possible. He added: “Can we do it even better than last year? That means by playing more expansive football than last year.
“With the players you have you have to manage the best way possible and the way to do that is to get the results which make sure we are in the Premier League.
“It is what I said last year, we have to achieve 40 points and after that we will see where we go.
“We finished 10th but don’t forget that with five games to play we were safe from relegation.
“If we had beaten West Brom or Watford in the last few games we could have been top eight. So we did something right.
“That does not mean we are always right because we know we make mistakes.
“However, we have to manage the players we have.
“We are playing a top side and we can prepare for everything.
“We have not had four or five months to prepare because of everything which came with pre-season.
“We have not had time to work with our signings, we are already there and we have to face a top side so we have to maximise our resources.
“That starts at Man City on Saturday night.
“The players have to be sure they stay in the game and have the hope and belief we can claim a result.”