OPINION
Newcastle United boss Rafa Benitez may have had a major selection headache at centre-back when summer signings Federico Fernandez and Fabian Schar stepped up to the plate.
Benitez had a dilemma on his hands, as he also had the likes of Jamaal Lascelles and Ciaran Clark vying for a place in the first team.
How things have changed – since Lascelles has come back from injury, he has brought nothing but bad luck to the Magpies, with only one point won out of a possible six in the last two games.
Make of that what you will, but it is clear that this is not a mere coincidence, it is Lascelles’ absence that contributed to this recent slump.
Newcastle are in dire need of a win when they take on Huddersfield this weekend, and one of the ways Benitez can ensure that is by showing his ruthless side and axing the fan favourite from the starting XI.
The 25-year-old made a series of calamaties in the Wolves clash that ultimately led to United’s downfall, and at this stage of the season, Benitez needs consistency from all of his players – including his captain.
There is no denying the talent of the mainstay – after all, he has contributed so much to the club over the last couple of seasons, and was instrumental in their tenth placed finish last term.
Nevertheless, recent displays cannot be ignored, and the mainstay must be sidelined on Saturday to prevent any further damage to Newcastle’s hopes of staying up.
Lascelles is a brilliant defender on his good day, but that was certainly not the case in the last two matches – he had zero pace and failed to clear effectively.
He has no doubt recognised that he is not an automatic choice in the heart of the defence anymore, and that Benitez will not be afraid to make key decisions for the sake of the team.