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Rafa Benitez gives quality answer when asked if Jonjo Shelvey will be captain v Manchester United

6 years ago
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Rafa Benitez has been attending to his media commitments ahead of Manchester United on Saturday.

The Newcastle boss saying at his press conference that his team ‘will have to do almost everything right, perfect, to make sure we can get three points’.

The home side have won all five games at Old Trafford so far, scoring 15 Premier League goals in the process and conceding none.

Jose Mourinho says that long-term injured trio Ibrahimovic, Pogba and Rojo are ‘ready to play’, which sounds a little unlikely that they actually will be involved, but either way it is a massive task ahead for NUFC.

For Rafa, he confirmed today that Atsu, Lascelles and Merino would all be missing, which seemingly makes his team selection pretty straightforward in most positions.

At the end of his press conference, Rafa injected a bit of humour.

Asked whether Jonjo Shelvey would step in as captain in Lascelles’ absence, Rafa answered with a big smile on his face: “We are not thinking about that because I don’t know if Shelvey will play!” The comment producing much laughter from the assembled media.

This is the type of match where Jonjo Shelvey has to step it up and take responsibility, show his quality AND be a positive influence on others, rather than any kind of repeat of his ridiculous behaviour that brought a red card against Spurs on the opening day, when he was also captain.

Rafa Benitez:

“Manchester United have so much quality in the team.

“They keep the ball, they pass the ball, they create chances, they score goals and they don’t concede too much.

We have to be strong in defence and when we regain the ball, try and create something on the counter attack.

“They have a team that can compete in every competition.

“And normally, the (Man Utd) fans are demanding that they have to be at the top, and they have to win the Premier League, the Champions League, the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup – everything. But, it is normal in a club that has this potential.

“I think, just yesterday, they were talking about the profit they have had already. It is always massive and they have to compete for everything.

“In terms of points, I would have been happy winning against Bournemouth and maybe not winning against Manchester United. But, now that we have lost to Bournemouth, we will try to win against Manchester United.

“We know it is difficult, because they are a good team and they have very good players, so we will have to do almost everything right, perfect, to make sure we can get three points.”

‘With Jamaal Lascelles out, will Jonjo Shelvey be Captain?’

(Rafa with big smile on his face) “We are not thinking about that because I don’t know if Shelvey will play!”

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