Rafa Benitez bemoaned the gulf in finances between Newcastle and Liverpool after watching his side fall to a 2-0 loss at Anfield.
Defeat to Jurgen Klopp’s side was the first time Benitez had lost against his former club since leaving Liverpool in 2010, although the United boss wasn’t overly concerned with the performance of his players.
Benitez set Newcastle up in a 5-4-1 formation in an attempt to stifle the Reds’ dangerous attack, and it worked by restricting the home side to just three shots on target – although two of those from Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane were the goals that earned Liverpool the three points.
Both players cost a combined sum in the region of £70 million and left Benitez, albeit quietly frustrated with some of Newcastle’s attacking play, in awe of the ability, physicality and intelligence that big spending can buy clubs nowadays.
“Three on target, I was surprised,” Benitez told the Shields Gazette after the game. “We wanted to be strong in defence and create more in counter-attack.
“We couldn’t do it, why? Because we have a very good team in front of us. We got into some good positions, and we were running full pace, but still we couldn’t beat them.
“When you pay money, you pay money not just because of their technical ability. It’s the quality, the decisions and the physicality.
“Everything that is the difference between teams.”
Newcastle must recover quickly from defeat on Merseyside with relegation rivals Southampton heading to St James’ Park on Saturday.
