Rafael Benitez has led Newcastle valiantly this season, guiding the Magpies to the top-half of the Premier League after previously occupying a spot in the relegation zone.
A superb upturn in form has seen Newcastle surpass their pre-season target of 40 points following a four-match winning streak, which included coming from behind to beat Europa League semi-finalists Arsenal last Sunday.
Those performances have earned Benitez and his side plenty of praise, with the latest to heap plaudits upon the Spaniard being former Scotland international Pat Nevin. Speaking to OffTheBall, he said:
“Certainly since the turn of the year they’ve been absolutely brilliant. They’re a dangerous team, they’re a well organised team, they’re a phenomenally structured team, they’re a sensibly built team as well.”
“It’s actually not that complicated when you look at it, but a team that’s winning the way they’re winning now, they’ve got a spirit, they’ve got a core of a team that never seems to change as well and he’s kept them all quite fit.”
“He’s got a little bit lucky there now and again, but to do that with limited resources and find themselves arguably in the top half of the league considering where they were, he’s not going to get manager of the season, but he kind of should be in the running. Rafa has done a brilliant job here.”
Newcastle have five matches to go in their first season back in the Premier League and are chasing a top-half finish.
