Second place would be fine, insists Benitez
Promotion is all that matters for Newcastle United, which is just as well because Rafael Benítez’s side may well have already lost the title.
Having swapped the lead in the Championship with Brighton like children trading cards in the playground, Newcastle’s failure to beat Leeds United at home on Good Friday means they are four points behind with just four games remaining.
Led by the hugely popular former Newcastle manager Chris Hughton, Brighton rarely look like losing, and few on Tyneside would begrudge the south coast club top spot, yet there will be a nagging sense of disappointment if Newcastle do not return to the Premier League as champions.
Having gambled on running a Premier League budget in the second tier in order to make sure their stay was brief, it is imperative that Benítez – one of the highest-paid managers in Europe, on an annual wage of more than £4 million – takes them up at the first time of asking.
Aware of the need to manage expectations, as well as his players, Benítez (pictured) has argued that it does not matter how they go up, and they remain on course despite the horrendous defending that allowed Leeds’s Chris Wood to score a 95thminute equaliser in a game Newcastle had dominated. However, Benítez has a squad that is the envy of the division, with the highest wage bill outside the top flight, and failure to go up as champions will be just that. “Second place would be fine with me,” said Benítez. Midfielder Isaac Hayden perhaps gave a more honest appraisal. “It always matters if you finish first or second, doesn’t it? I think there will be a little bit of a sour taste if we weren’t to go on and win the title.” Despite Newcastle’s slightly surprising vulnerability, particularly at home, Benítez has rarely stopped smiling. It is all part of the charm offensive, and if it looks forced at times, there is no questioning his impact since arriving in March last year, and two wins and a draw will guarantee promotion. “I am not pleased because we could not get the three points, but I am happy with the performance and the way the players have reacted,” said Benítez. “We should have won easily, but the performance was so good that we have to be positive.”