OPINION
Newcastle United defender Federico Fernandez must now be considered undroppable by Rafa Benitez after another fantastic showing against Arsenal.
The 6ft 2in tall centre-back (Source: Transfermarkt) was head and shoulders above his teammates during their 2-1 defeat courtesy of Arsenal on Saturday and looks like becoming a key player for the club.
Fernandez joined from Swansea City in the summer and has played the last three leagues in a row for the Magpies, with him excelling in each Premier League outing he has made.
The defender is composed on the ball, strong in the challenge, regularly times his tackles to perfection and is strong in the air in order to see him win aerials duels for his side.
Fernandez has also shown two other excellent qualities in his Magpies appearances so far, with those being his ability to keep going despite a result looking impossible and his desire to put his body on the line.
The defender showed this two aspects of his game against Arsenal on Saturday as he blocked several of their shots by throwing his body in front of them and was one of a few players that’s head didn’t drop when his side went 2-0 down.
This positive attitude was the reason why Fernandez was able to register an assist against the Gunners as his determination to drive his team forward saw him end up in a fantastic crossing position, which took full advantage of.
The defender looks like being a leader for the team also and given the concerns about Jamaal Lascelles, this means the Argentinian defender needs to be one of the first names on the teamsheet for the foreseeable future.
Lascelles was subbed at half-time during the 2-1 defeat to Arsenal after appearing to have sustain an injury in the first 45 minutes of the match.
Rafa Benitez has since confirmed, as reported by the Chronicle, that the Magpies captain is a doubt for his side’s next game against Crystal Palace as the defender needs to be checked by doctors.
This means Fernandez is even more vital to the Magpies, just in case Lascelles is injured, as he’s the only defender fit enough to deliver a similar standard of performance as the 24-year-old and is one of the few player left standing who has showcased leadership qualities.
Therefore following his display against the Gunners where he was head and shoulders above his teammates, Fernandez should now be considered undroppable.
