BBC Sport pundit Mark Lawrenson believes that Newcastle United will find their way out of relegation trouble this season despite their poor start to the campaign.
Rafael Benitez’s side have failed to win in their first eight Premier League games this term, a fact that seemingly has not deterred Lawrenson from backing the Magpies.
The Liverpool legend has claimed that Mike Ashley could spend up to £40million in the winter transfer if he feels as though he need to and that could be enough to help avoid relegation.
“I think Newcastle will get out of trouble,” he said, shown on Match of the Day’s official Twitter account. “And I think, because, whatever you say about Mike Ashley, he’s a businessman so if he needs to send £30, £40million in January to recoup £160million still in the Premier League he will do it.”
"I think Newcastle will get out of it"
Who's getting relegated from the Premier League? pic.twitter.com/bqcos6NXKw
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) October 20, 2018
Newcastle will attempt to spark a revival when they take on Brighton & Hove Albion at St James’ Park, who sit 13th in the Premier League.
OPINION
You can see what Lawrenson is saying here, but is there any proof that Ashley will spend money just because his team is in relegation trouble? Yes, it would make sense financially because there’s more money to be earned from staying in the Premier League than dropping down to the Championship, but that was the case last winter as well and the Sports Direct tycoon didn’t exactly open his chequebook then. The Magpies made three signings in January last year, two of them being pivotal ones, but all three were loans. Martin Dubravka, Kenedy and Islam Slimani all arrived on temporary deals, so it wasn’t like Ashley really went for it in order to help keep his team up last year. You’d like to think that he would back his manager having spent next to nothing in the summer, but it’s always best to expect the worst when it comes to Newcastle’s tyrannical owner.
