Merino backs ‘top six’ claim by Rafa with late winner
AMID talk of takeovers and January transfer war chests, Rafa Benitez said that Newcastle United could threaten the top six with new investment — but he’s not doing a bad job without such backing.
His side are sixth after Mikel Merino came from the bench to head an 86th-minute winner against Crystal Palace. The Spanish midfielder, a £6.5million buy from Borussia Dortmund, is perhaps the best example of the manager’s canny dealings with limited funds this summer.
Even so, this team is performing far better on grass than it looks on paper and Benitez said: ‘We came from the Championship and didn’t sign too many players. So if you told me that on September 1 we would be here, I would say, “yeah, that’s fine”.’
That last line was delivered with a smile. Benitez knows he is exceeding expectations given what was a fairly unremarkable summer, when £40m was spent on six players.
But that could change should owner Mike Ashley get his wish and sell before Christmas.
Amanda Staveley is the financier behind a £300m bid which has entered the due diligence process but she thought it best to stay away yesterday rather than distract from events on the pitch. As it was, the presence of England boss Gareth Southgate, Sting and Jimmy Nail provided that diversion.
Former Palace defender Southgate would have been impressed by his former club, who were the better side for the majority of the game.
The defeat, however, leaves them bottom and five points from safety. Not that new boss Roy Hodgson is panicking.
‘Why should I not believe we can stay up?’ he said. ‘There are 29 games to go. We’ve beaten the champions last week and we’ve come to St James’ Park against a Newcastle side which is doing really well and, in my opinion, we matched them and were the stronger team.
‘So why should I not have belief? I will stop believing when the number of points we are behind doesn’t match the number of games that are left. Now that is not going to happen in October.’
Palace looked slightly more dangerous in an unforgettable first half and Wilfried Zaha headed inches wide from an Andros Townsend cross. At the other end there was one Christian Atsu shot which rippled the side netting but Newcastle lacked imagination and energy.
A set-piece was always going to be their most likely source of a goal and so it proved when Merino rose to meet Matt Ritchie’s corner.
It wasn’t pretty but if the Premier League table makes for good viewing on Tyneside today, just think what Benitez could do with ambitious owners behind him. Newcastle (4-2-3-1): Elliot 6; Yedlin 6, Lascelles 7, Lejeune 7.5, Manquillo 6; Hayden 5.5 (Merino 56min, 7), Shelvey 6.5; Ritchie 6.5, Perez 5 (Diame 66, 5), Atsu 7; Joselu 5.5 (Mitrovic 78). subs (not used): Darlow, Clark, Murphy, Gamez. Booked: Lejeune, Lascelles, Manquillo, Joselu. crystal Palace (4-4-2): Speroni 6.5; Ward 5, Dann 6, Sakho 6, Van Aanholt 6; McArthur 6 (Sako 88), Cabaye 6, Milivojevic 5.5, Schlupp 5; Townsend 6.5, Zaha 6.5 (Loftus-Cheek 76, 6). subs (not used): Hennessey, Tomkins, Fosu-Mensah, Puncheon, Riedewald. Booked: Cabaye, Van Aanholt. referee: S Attwell 7.