With the International break underway, Newcastle could plan their escape from relegation as Rafa Benitez has been presented with a golden opportunity to implement his style of play at St’ James’ Park.
Following their impressive 1-1 draw against Sunderland last time out, Benitez will be hoping to use the tie against the Black Cats as a springboard to further success.
The International break comes as a big relief for Newcastle as it gives them a lot more time to prepare for the intense relegation battle that awaits them.
There aren’t many international players at the Magpies which means that Benitez has somewhat of a full squad to train with during the break.
The likes of Sunderland and Norwich will also be keen on putting in a lot of work in training although the effects might be more visible in the Newcastle, considering the quality of players in their Arsenal.
The Newcastle players more than anything need to get accustomed to Benitez’s extravagant style of play as it could see them make a big leap out of the relegation zone.
Although Benitez has to ensure that he doesn’t get to fixated on the recent ephemeral success as there’s still a lot to be done before the Magpies are assured of Premier League football next season.
Benitez will be mainly looking towards the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic, Georginio Wijnaldum, and Magpies’ cult hero Papiss Cisse to produce the goods and keep them up this season.
Newcastle’s next tie looks to be more important than their last, as they have a chance to influence directly the happenings at the bottom of the table when they take on Norwich after the International break.
The Norwich game is definitely what Benitez will be focusing on in training right now, and if all goes well against the Hornets, Newcastle might just see themselves out of the bottom three for the time being.