Moussa Sissoko as captain? Jonjo Shelvey dropped to the bench? Cheick Tioté and Papiss Cissé recalled? Smiles on the faces of Newcastle United’s francophone contingent?
There were several Saturday-afternoon shocks on Tyneside where Rafael Benítez saw some big decisions vindicated with his first win in five games since succeeding Steve McClaren.
If Newcastle beat Manchester City at St James’ Park on Tuesday they will scramble above Sunderland and Norwich City and out of the relegation zone.
Benítez has always known that when Sissoko plays well, Newcastle tend to win. The fact that this was only their seventh league victory of the campaign is partly a reflection of the France midfielder’s appalling performances but no one doubts Sissoko’s inherent talent. Or the extent of his influence in a dressing room Gérard Houllier, among others, believes contains too many French‑speaking players.
Similarly well aware that Sissoko is best used in a central-attacking No10 role but has spent most of his time on Tyneside wide on the right, Benítez offered him the power and position he craves, and was rewarded with a potentially season-transforming win.
“I wanted to give Sissoko some confidence,” said the Spaniard, who saw the outstanding Andros Townsend create goals for Jamaal Lascelles and Sissoko before scoring the third himself. “We also have a lot of players who talk French and Sissoko has big influence with them; they see him as a big name. So, if he’s performing well, they will follow him.”
A wonderfully disciplined ball-winning performance from Tioté – like Cissé, a Sissoko disciple – in Shelvey’s customary position, proved key to Newcastle disrupting Swansea City’s gameplan and subduing the dangerous Gylfi Sigurdsson by winning a high percentage of second balls.
“The team selection was behind this idea to be stronger, more solid, to regain more second balls and have more control,” Benítez said. “In other games we’ve tried to keep the ball but given it away.”
Shelvey, impressive after replacing a tiring Tioté, was not about to disagree. “I was a bit surprised and frustrated to be left out against my old club,” said the £12m January recruit from Swansea. “But I think he [Benítez] knows what he’s doing. With his CV you can’t exactly criticise him. I didn’t get an explanation but it’s not about me, it’s about this club and maintaining Premier League status. We’re all in it together.”
He is anxious to start on Tuesday. “City under floodlights, this place will be bouncing,” Shelvey said. “It’s going to be tough but we’ve got real belief now. City are exceptional but, if we press them high up the pitch, like we did against Swansea, we’ll get chances.”
Benítez could also do with another stalwart defensive display from the much improved Lascelles, whois emerging as an unexpected on-field leader of the “Rafalution” after giving senior team-mates a dressing down following the recent 3-1 defeat at Southampton.
“Technically we’ve got great talent,” the centre-half said. “But we’ve not always had the heart and fight. Now we’ve got characters coming out of their shells. We could always pass the ball but the other side of things, the battling and the fighting, we’ve not shown until now. I think what I said last week brought a big reaction. The frustration is that, talent wise, we’ve got such big players. If they’d always played like this we’d be much higher up the league.”
Man of the match Andros Townsend (Newcastle United)
