Truly shocking moment tops five greatest highlights of Benitez reign at Newcastle
5. Newcastle 1 – 0 Manchester United
While Newcastle have traditionally had a terrible record against the big boys of the Premier League, Manchester United are one of the sides in which the Magpies have had some joy against over the years.
February 2018 saw Benitez come up against old rival Jose Mourinho at St James’ Park, a ground at which the Portuguese boss has had little luck – and it continued once again.
As performances go, this one was gutsy from Benitez’s men – a real backs-to-the-wall display in which goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, thrown well and truly in at the deep end with his debut coming against the Red Devils, earned his stripes.
A Matt Ritchie goal was all separated the two sides, and left the Toon Army bouncing on Tyneside after a real display of teamwork and resolution to grind those three points out – a Benitez performance if ever you saw one.
There was only one team united that day – and it was not the men in red.
Click below for the moment Benitez rewrote the history books…