Rafa Benitez admits Newcastle ‘have to attack’ teams in the club’s five remaining home fixtures – starting with Southampton on Saturday.
The Magpies have won just four times in 14 matches at St James’ Park this season, scoring 12 goals and taking only 16 points from a possible 42 – a record that would leave them 18th if the Premier League were determined on home form.
Only rock bottom West Brom and Southampton have worse records and Benitez concedes he must send his team out on the front foot against teams in and around United in the table , as opposed to the caution exercised in the defeat to Liverpool at the weekend.
“It’s obvious those are different teams, different scenarios,” said Benitez to the Northern Echo. “So it’s not the same when you play away against one of the top teams in the Premier League than when you play at home against one of the teams in your position more or less.
“The game at Liverpool was just to make sure we had good control and then play counter attack. We were not a real threat in the first half but we were controlling the game so they didn’t have clear chances, just at the end a corner situation – nothing else.
“We were happy with that but we were still not very happy [overall] because we have to create more. Obviously Southampton will be different. We play at home with our fans behind us. We have to attack and we have to create chances. Obviously every game is important to us but these types of games against the teams close to us we have to do well.”
United face Southampton on Saturday and then Huddersfield at the end of March, following a three-week break, knowing a six-point haul would ease their relegation worries.
