Paul Merson has hailed the impact made by Salomon Rondon for Newcastle United and claimed he has transformed the team.
Rondon struggled for game time earlier in the season after joining the north-east giants on a season-long loan from West Brom, with Dwight Gayle heading the other way.
But the Venezuela international has started the last two Premier League games and delivered a memorable display in United’s 2-1 win over Bournemouth 12 days ago, which Arsenal legend Merson believes makes them favourites going into Monday’s clash against Burnley.
“Newcastle will get something out of this game and if somebody said to me, ‘get off the fence,’ then I would go for Newcastle,” Merson told Sky Sports. “They have the momentum and they have not been a million miles away, the penny has dropped and he has put Salomon Rondon in – they needed a focal point, they were too weak, the ball was bouncing back too quick off Joselu, whereas this lad…. What a header against Bournemouth.
“You cannot tell me that was not like Malcolm Macdonald or Alan Shearer, brave, put himself across the defender, no one was saving that. Rafa Benitez has taken a bit of time – sometimes he looks like he is chopping his hands off to spite his face.”
OPINION
Forget the cliches about Newcastle fans loving a courageous and powerful number nine who bangs the ball in the back of the net. Which set of fans wouldn’t want a beefy front man bullying a fine Premier League side in the manner that Rondon did a fortnight ago against Bournemouth. Having sat through so many matches in which Joselu looked a second-rate striker and others in the club just didn’t convince, the Magpies have been left really excited by what Rondon can do in a black-and-white jersey this season. The key for Newcastle is to play to his strengths, which means wide men like Kenedy and Matt Ritchie getting balls into the box and giving Rondon the chance to out-power defenders and use his heading ability. The Venezuelan has never been a prolific player but he has been a mighty effective one, and he is best one the north-east giants have available for the centre-forward position.