Ayoze Perez’s form was saluted by Match of the Day’s analysts as ex-Newcastle stars Alan Shearer and Jermaine Jenas paid tribute to United’s goalscoring hero.
Perez hit a hat-trick as Newcastle secured safety Newcastle 3-1 Southampton: Sublime Ayoze Perez helps fans implore Rafa to stay - 5 things we learned – and Shearer was suitably impressed, hailing him as a “fantastic buy”.
And Jenas felt that the big difference in the forward was the addition of Miguel Almiron.
He said: “He was brilliant on the day and the big thing with Ayoze Perez, especially in the early weeks of the season, is that he was getting some form of criticism for a lack of creativity and goals which he was supposed to be bringing to the team and what there has been is a direct correlation between Almiron coming to the football club and his improvement.
“Seven of his ten goals have come since Almiron came to the club , he’s been in good form and he thoroughly deserved his hat-trick. He’s a player much improved by being let off the lead a bit to play where he wants to play. Previous to that it’s all been about hard work now obviously it’s about goals.
Shearer said: “176 league appearances in five years. £1.5million they got him for – he’s been a fantastic buy.”
The pundits also looked at the contentious decision not to give James Ward-Prowse his marching orders after he crudely checked Miguel Almiron.
Asked about whether Ward-Prowse should have seen red, Shearer said: “I don’t think so. You have to take into account the distance between the offence and the goal, I know that’s in the law. I know they’ll probably go on to score because it’s two v one but in the referee’s defence that’s in the law and he gets that right.”
Newcastle 3-1 Southampton: Sublime Ayoze Perez helps fans implore Rafa to stay - 5 things we learned
The Rafa Benitez BT Sport interview that got Newcastle United fans talking - full transcript
