Benitez won’t make meal of players’ beef

JAMAAL LASCELLES and Mohamed Diame are to buy lunch for their Newcastle team-mates to make up for a training-ground bust-up.

The pair found themselves in the headlines after they came to blows during the international break, with Jonjo Shelvey suffering a broken finger as he intervened.

Manager Rafael Benitez has played down the incident and insisted he did not need to take any action as Lascelles, above, and Diame came up with their own remedy.

Benitez said: “It was a surprise. It was part of a small training game and there was a fight. Jonjo was in the middle so he was making peace and everything was fine.

“After the incident, they apologised to each other. Maybe they will buy lunch for everyone – it was Mo’s idea to take the team out to lunch. I don’t know when or how they will do it.”

Speaking about the incident, Benitez, whose side travel to Southampton tomorrow, said: “I have seen worse than that over the years.

“When you are in the middle of a game and you’re losing or winning, players can react in different ways.

“Later on they were fine and they have been training fine without anything special since.”

Mauricio Pellegrino has told Benitez there will be no room for sentiment when he comes up against his managerial mentor tomorrow.

Southampton boss Pellegrino played under Benitez at Liverpool and Valencia and was also part of the Spaniard’s Anfield backroom staff.

And Pellegrino said: “It is an important game for us because we need the win.”

Midfielder Mikel Merino, who initially arrived at Newcastle on a season-long loan from Borussia Dortmund during the summer, has accepted a five-year deal. He said: “I am happy here. The weather is not the best for a Spanish guy, but I feel comfortable.

“I am struggling with normal English, never mind Geordie. I have to study and learn.”