RAFA’S FA PEP TALK
Benitez wants answers over £60k ref fine after City boss was let off with warning PROBABLE TEAMS PUT A CORK IN OLD PALS’ ACT
BURNLEY v NEWCASTLE
FORGET the old pals’ act – this is now definitely the old pals’ axe.
There will be no love lost when Burnley’s Jack Cork comes face-toface with Newcastle pair Jonjo Shelvey and Federico Fernandez at Turf Moor tomorrow night.
The three were once teammates at Swansea, but this is now the battle of the basement, a scrap for Premier League survival.
Friendship on the pitch doesn’t come into it when getting those valuable three points.
Burnley have snatched just two measly points from the last 15 and beating Newcastle – and his old pals – is a priority for Cork.
He said: “Yes, I played with Jonjo a bit and Federico has gone there now. I like Jonjo and Fedy is a good guy – yes, both nice lads.
“But you can’t have any sympathy for a pal – football is always like that.
“You have lots of friends in football, but you have got to look after your own team and your own people around you.
“It’s difficult when results haven’t been going our way. I feel we’ve done OK at times, but we’ve had some bad performances. With the amount of games we’ve had, it’s been tough trying to be as physical as we have been. We should be trying to get back to that.”
Cork (right) has felt the rigours of trying to repeat the heroics of the last campaign when Burnley finished seventh.
But he’s finding the perfect way to relax – by buying a couple of racehorses with a helping hand from football legend Michael Owen.
Cork added: “We’re going to buy a couple of two-year-olds. We’re talking to Michael about it. It’s nice to take your mind off football.” The Newcastle United boss is privately fuming he was hammered with a huge financial punishment, but for the same offence the title-chasing Manchester City chief was given a slap on the wrists. Benitez will highlight the inconsistency in the way he has been treated compared to Guardiola, and ask why his breach was treated more seriously – especially as he PRAISED the referee. Toon chief Benitez said he had “confidence” that Andre Marriner would handle Newcastle’s clash with Crystal Palace in a fair way. He was responding to Palace striker Wilfried Zaha who claimed in the same week that he was not being protected by referees. Guardiola (above) was warned about his future conduct after he defended the appointment of Wythenshawe-based ref Anthony Taylor for the Manchester derby a fortnight ago. He said: “Mr Taylor is going to try and make a good game. If he is a fan of United or a fan of City everyone can be a fan of whoever he wants. So, no problem.” Football Association rules state “any pre-match comments including those of a positive nature concerning the appointed match official, whether the official is identifiable by name or implication, will be deemed as improper conduct.” Benitez also name-checked ref Andrew Madley before a key Championship game in April last year, while Guardiola has not been warned previously. The FA will receive Benitez’s letter next week, and he will expect an explanation, with the suspicion on Tyneside he is easier to punish than Guardiola who is favourite to lead City to another title. Newcastle travel to Burnley tomorrow night on the back of two wins and Benitez insisted he never doubted his methods during a 10-game winless run at the start of the season. He reckons confidence has soared in his squad after beating Watford and Bournemouth, and has revealed his managerial approach during those desperate months. Benitez said: “Two wins in a row has given us confidence. The players train with a smile and it is much better. “The key is the confidence. They play better, we have more chances to get results. “We have come out of this by repeating, and repeating what we want to do. “You have 25-26 players with their own way of thinking. You have to convince them your way is the way to win. “Now that message is easier. “You analyse what in your opinion is right and wrong. You try to change things. “Not everything, because that is dangerous, but little things... you give more attention to every game, talk to players and be calm. They see you are calm and it helps.”