Newcastle 24-year-old fighting to save St James’ Park career after Benitez reads riot act
COMMENT
Rafa Benitez is not the sort of man you want to get on the wrong end of.
A legend to Newcastle fans for his loyalty to the club in their most desperate time of need, he’s also a manager that commands respect in the dressing room.
Talking in his pre-match press conference today ahead of the penultimate game of the season against Tottenham, Benitez remained upbeat, despite a terrible run of form that’s coincided with his side’s safety in the Premier League.
After winning four in a row, they’ve now lost three in a row and must be fearing the worst as they prepare to face Tottenham who are now fighting for their top-four lives.
However, Benitez served up some fierce criticism to his players – a rare public dressing down that will have some players quaking in their boots.
“The players are professionals and they knew how I wanted them to approach the game,” Benitez said. “And they did exactly the opposite.”
One player who should be very concerned is Javier Manquillo.
After starting brightly for Newcastle this season, since his £4.5m move from Atletico Madrid last summer, the 24-year-old had spent the prior seven games on the bench.
Given his chance because of the team’s poor run of form, he was terrible defensively, and must be looking at the remaining two games as giving him a slim chance of saving his St James’ Park career.
He’s not done enough to prove that he can lift the team any higher than where they finished this season and Benitez’s words must be burning a hole in his ears.
Has he got the fight or the desire to prove himself?
In other Newcastle United transfer news, one man has failed to rule out an exit from the club this summer.
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