‘Fans know players care about the shirt’ – Benitez

RAFAEL BENITEZ has launched a passionate defence of his Newcastle team as he attempts to end a damaging run of four successive Premier League defeats.

The Magpies head for West Brom tonight still smarting from Saturday’s 3-0 drubbing by Watford at St James’ Park, but with the Spaniard insisting his players are giving him everything. Benitez was less than impressed with the club’s summer transfer dealings, which left him with a squad he believes is short of many of its competitors, including Huddersfield and Brighton, who came up with them.

However, he is confident that he still has enough talent at his disposal to keep them in the top flight.

He said: “The reality is that if you want to sign a striker who can score 20 goals every year, it is £40m. An average striker is £20m or £30m. We didn’t do that, so we are where we are. We have to compete against Huddersfield, Brighton or Burnley, but we couldn’t compete against those clubs and sign the players they were signing. We couldn’t pay the prices they were paying or the wages they were offering.

“This group of players can manage if we stay calm and continue in the same way. Our fans know where we are and why we are here. We have had a difficult month. We knew that before. We have 14 points and are in a good position. Are we happy? No, it could be better – but it could be worse. If it gets worse, keep on going.

“The fans appreciate that this group of players really care about the shirt and what they are doing.

“We cannot forget that the first of September we were complaining, and all the fans were saying it would be a difficult season.

“We are 14th in the league and in a good position. What is our target? What do we want to achieve? To stay in the Premier League. Nobody was saying it was going to be easy.”