Newcastle winger Matt Ritchie has shed light on his well-publicised bust-up with teammate and captain Jamaal Lascelles earlier this season, admitting that things did get “overheated” between them.
The two senior stars were forced apart at training ahead of their loss to Chelsea in the Premier League in August, and news of the argument filtered out through the press.
Not much was made of the situation by the club, and Ritchie has now revealed all about the incident and the aftermath of his fall-out with Lascelles.
As quoted by the Daily Star, he said: “We had a difference of opinion and a discussion about it – a lively discussion. Jamaal and I are two of the more vocal characters, very similar in the way we train and conduct ourselves.
“It was something which got overheated but it was nothing personal and 20 minutes later, everything was fine.”
OPINION
This account from Ritchie seems to corroborate everything that came out in the press about the bust-up. Initially the argument was played up as a big deal, with the impression given that the Newcastle dressing room was falling apart. That picture was helped by the fact that Lascelles had been dropped by Benitez the week before – reportedly for questioning his tactics in training – with that incident fuelling the fire even more. However, it was quickly established that the bust-up between Ritchie and Lascelles was not a big problem for the Magpies, and that is merely confirmed here. It is well know that both players are among the more outspoken members of the squad, so it is no surprise to see them at odds occasionally. In the big picture, arguments like this are probably a good thing, especially at a struggling team, with the players showing that they care about Newcastle United.