OPINION
Mark Lawrenson has given his Premier League predictions for fixtures this weekend and believes that Rafa Benitez will have a point to prove against Liverpool.
Benitez comes up against his former side on Saturday, and the BBC Sport pundit gave his opinions on the Newcastle boss ahead of the fixture.
“I know some people are saying Rafa could lie down against Liverpool, but he just does not do that kind of thing,” said Lawrenson to BBC Sport.
“He is the kind of fella who will think ‘I am going to show them what they are missing’. That will be his outlook, definitely.”
Benitez is not going to simply roll over and give Liverpool the three points, however that is surely a given, and for him to do so would almost certainly be frowned upon by football fans around the world.
However, to suggest that the Newcastle manager will be sending a message to Liverpool to show them ‘what they are missing’ is completely absurd, especially in the eyes of a Newcastle fan.
Benitez will only have eyes for the role that he is currently in, and insists that he is staying professional.
“We are professional, and we have to do our job,” said Benitez, as quoted by Newcastle United.
“We have to do our jobs.”
It is clear to see that the Spaniard’s only focus going into Saturday’s fixture is that of Newcastle, and his only aim it to win the three points, regardless of how that effects his former club.
After all, for him to suggest that he is sending that sort of message to Liverpool wouldn’t make sense, especially considering the success that Jurgen Klopp has been having with the Reds since he joined the club back in October 2015.
Benitez will have more to worry about than what the Liverpool camp think of him going into the fixture, as his contract negotiations with the Newcastle board are still ongoing, meaning his future still currently remains uncertain.