OPINION
While Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez might have a Champions League title under his belt, there is no escaping the fact he had to take some responsibility for his side’s atrocious start to the season.
The Magpies picked up their first win of the season in their 11th Premier League outing with their 1-0 victory over Watford on Saturday, giving the Spanish boss, his players and the Toon Army something to celebrate after two difficult months on Tyneside.
While they might only be on six points it is worth noting that Newcastle have the best goal difference of all the clubs in the bottom seven of the division, and considering they have played five of last season’s top six, that is not a statistic to be scoffed at.
However, their defensive resoluteness was not enough to escape the criticism of top Sky Sports pundits Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville earlier in the season, who slammed Benitez for what they deemed “pragmatic” football and insisted their problem with the Magpies was the lack of “having a go” against the top dogs of English football.
Well, after this weekend’s performances in the Premier League, you can be sure that Benitez will be sitting feeling pretty smug, for Southampton have shot down the former top flight stars’ criticisms of Newcastle with their own display.
The Saints were utterly outclassed by Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, conceding a massive six goals on the way to a 6-1 thrashing at the hands of the champions – with a goal difference now six worse than the Magpies’.
Benitez no doubt knows that their defensive record could be the difference come the end of the season, and now his tactics are not looking so poorly thought out.
Neville and Carragher are entitled to their opinions, but on this basis it will be Benitez who has the last laugh.