Newcastle United finally managed to get their first league win of the season at home to Watford last weekend.
As a result, Rafa Benitez’s side moved out of the bottom three on goal difference. Benitez says that you can now feel the difference around the club and the city due to the renewed confidence a win can bring.
“You can feel the difference on the training pitch and in the city, the confidence is higher, but it is just one step forward,” Benitez told his pre-match press conference.
Newcastle face Bournemouth at St James’ Park this weekend but Benitez knows it will be a very tough ask of his players to make it two wins in a row. Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth side have been playing very well this season and currently sit in 6th place in the league.
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“Bournemouth are in a very good position in the table – they are playing well, and playing with confidence,” added Benitez.
If Benitez can turn Newcastle’s fortunes around this season there will probably be a church founded in his honour in the northeast. ‘Rafa’ has been working in very difficult circumstances with absolutely no funding or backing in the transfer market provided by the club owner, Mike Ashley.
Benitez surprised everyone by leading The Magpies to an impressive 10th-place in last season’s Premier League. However, such is the dire condition the club is in currently, most Newcastle fans would probably be happy to avoid a relegation battle this season.