Joey Barton has revisited statements earlier in the month in which he claimed ‘you can’t draw everyone to death’ following Newcastle’s slow start to the season.
Rafael Benitez’s side lost their opening two games, however have since won three on the trot to take them to fourth in the table.
Following their defeat to Huddersfield in match-week two, Barton criticised the club and Benitez, who he claimed should have done more in the transfer window. However, since their turnaround, Barton has praised both the manager and the players for the unexpected change of fortunes.
“I feared for Newcastle after the Huddersfield game.” said Barton via The Mag. “There were issues going on around Benitez, the transfer saga…no-transfer saga – I just feared after they got beat then and the way they performed, that it was going to be a very difficult season for them.
“Credit to Rafa and the Newcastle players though, great results.
“West Ham at home and at the weekend against Stoke (and at Swansea), they’re games that I think Newcastle’s seasons will be judged off.”
Newcastle travel to fellow newly promoted side Brighton at the weekend, and it is in those games – against the clubs around them – that Barton believes the Magpies season will be won and lost.
“It won’t be judged off the likes of games against (Man) City and (Man) United, it will be against those teams around them.
“There are three big games coming up, playing against Brighton then Liverpool at home and Southampton away, so a couple of winnable games there.”
