Rafa Benitez says record-signing Miguel Almiron isn’t a dirty player.
The Newcastle winger was sent off for Paraguay last week, making a knee-high horror tackle against Mexico just seven minutes after coming on as a substitute.
He now faces an international suspension after losing his temper as his team headed for defeat.
Benitez talked to Almiron when he arrived back on Tyneside to join preparations for Monday's trip to Arsenal and is happy with his state of mind — and backed the £20million new boy to get his first goal since joining from MLS champions Atlanta in January.
“When I saw him in the gym, he said he was fine," said the Magpies' boss. "I asked him again during the training session, asked if he was OK, and he said yes.
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“I do not think he is the sort of player who would make a bad tackle on purpose. It was the situation. They were losing and he has this energy. But mentally, he is ready and he is training well.
“They play a game before training and he was training with the others and enjoying himself. I think he was fine.”
Almiron, 25, has yet to score for Newcastle, but has offered a threat and created space for frontmen Salomon Rondon and Ayoze Perez.
Benitez said: “If I asked him if he needed a goal he would say yes, but he is happy and you can see that in the matches. He is doing OK. I do not see any anxiety just because he is not scoring.
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“You talk about Rondon, Perez and Almiron and they play well together but I want to be fair with Christian Atsu because he was doing well. Had he not been playing well, that is different.
“Maybe he (Almiron) has more pace going forward causing more problems for defenders and that is beneficial for Rondon and Ayoze.
“Miguel is someone likes to stay at home, come here, train. Nice lad, not too worried about what is going on around him. Concentrating on what he is doing here.”
