Patience in possession equals points
It’s an extremely rare event when Newcastle dominate the possession stakes, but that was the case against Huddersfield with Benitez’s side enjoying 68% of the ball across 90 minutes.
United have generally ran out of steam and ideas on the few occasions when they have been forced to break down their opposition, yet created 18 opportunities on Saturday compared to the four mustered by the Terriers, who failed to test Martin Dubravka all afternoon.
Unlike the edgy, impulsiveness that tends to provoke a sense of panic in Newcastle’s play, Benitez will be encouraged by the patience and professionalism of his players as his team avoided the urge to resort to ad-hoc measures in their pursuit of a goal.
