OPINION
There are a number of players at Newcastle United absolutely vital to the way that Rafael Benitez wants his side to turn out – but club captain Jamaal Lascelles might not be among them.
The central defender is a mainstay at St James’ Park but in all honesty it cannot be for his technical capabilities, doing the basics very well as a centre back
However, he offers so much more than footballing quality, with a sense of leadership that had been missing on Tyneside for some time before he stepped in as captain.
He marshals his defence expertly and on his day is an absolute rock at the back – which is why the thought of him being ruled out of action against Bournemouth and potentially beyond would have filled their hearts with fear.
That is exactly what manager Rafael Benitez was left worried about when speaking to the Shields Gazette, with the defender having been forced off through injury at half time in the amazing turnaround against Everton.
The Spanish boss revealed said: “He was complaining about his knee, and he couldn’t carry on. We don’t know. It seems to be that it was not very serious, but he said he could not carry on.”
Well, it seems as though any fears have been well and truly allayed by the club themselves, posting photos of Lascelles among his teammates in training on Wednesday on their official website.
It remains to be seen whether there are any ill effects of his early withdrawal against the Toffees but seeing him run through the drills set out by Benitez and his coaching staff must have the Toon Army bouncing – at the end of the day, he would be a huge loss against the Cherries.