Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez has challenged his players to take the defeat against Ipswich Town yesterday on the chin and make sure they front up and play as a team when they face Preston on Monday night.
The Magpies’ backline has been circumspect in recent matches despite being the backbone of the club’s promotion challenge this season. The absence of defender Ciaran Clark has been seen as the main reason behind the six goals that Newcastle have conceded in the past three league games, but Benitez wants to ensure there are no excuses heading into the next match at St James Park.
He is quoted by the Chronicle as saying:
“We all have to take responsibility. We win together and we lose together, and now we have to be sure that in the next game, we will win together.”
Clark has been absent from the Newcastle side since the 3-1 home defeat to Fulham back in March due to a knee injury, and the team’s form has been indifferent since then with two wins, two draws and two defeats.
Benitez has switched between a Lascelles-Hanley and Lascelles-Mbemba centre back partnership during the last month and that has no doubt contributed that the team’s lack of solidity in recent games.
