Benitez scraps the ‘winter break’ as Toon get serious
IT USED to be the case that Newcastle United’s players enjoyed a winter break over the weekend of the FA Cup third round.
Even though some managers tried to deny such a practice existed, it was widely known that senior stars were often granted a short holiday in early January. That came from the top of the club, whose message was, in effect, to duck out of the cup competitions and concentrate on Premier League survival. Not now. Even though manager Rafa Benitez conceded that his priority is keeping his team in the top flight, he was not about to name a weakened side here.
Instead, this was arguably the strongest XI Newcastle have fielded for an FA Cup tie in the decade of Mike Ashley’s ownership. It was, for example, far better than the line-up put out to face Manchester City over Christmas.
Captain Jamaal Lascelles is Benitez’s most important player right now, yet he led out the team against League Two leaders Luton. And he says the attitude towards this competition has changed in his time at the club. ‘In the past some players may have looked to have this weekend off after the busy period. It certainly wouldn’t happen now,’ said Lascelles, 24, who was taken off before the break but will be fit for Saturday’s visit of Swansea.
‘We have a good group of lads and everyone wants the same thing. It’s not like the Championship when you are playing Saturday-TuesdaySaturday. You usually only play once a week in the Premier League, so it’s not as if you need to rest players. The squad are happy with that — we want to play.’
Benitez will not make bullish statements of intent proclaiming that this is the season they can end the club’s 49-year trophy drought. But nor will he play the kids and accept a cup exit lightly.
‘The ideal situation is to get to a comfortable position in the league and then decide how to approach the FA Cup if we can make it to the later rounds,’ said Benitez.
He had just seen his team ease into the fourth round thanks to two goals from Ayoze Perez and a Jonjo Shelvey strike. ‘At the moment it’s just about enjoying it and seeing how far we can go,’ he added.