OPINION
If there is one Newcastle United player who has got the most stick recently for his performances, one that would spring to mind instantly is Ayoze Perez.
The Spaniard has been suffering a rather indifferent time of it this season, with many fans pointing out that he looks a shadow of the player who was the team’s top scorer in the last campaign.
While the ill feeling surrounding his form was also partly due to the fact that Newcastle were yet to register a win, you fast forward to now and the feeling could not be any more different.
The Magpies now have a victory to their name, and it is all because of a strike from substitute Perez – a goal that would ultimately prove all of his fierce doubters wrong.
Initially, boss Rafa Benitez dropped the Spaniard from his starting line-up to face Watford, opting for a partnership of Salomon Rondon and Yoshinori Muto up front.
The fact that it did not work out this time around meant that Perez had a glorious chance to write some wrongs with a cameo appearance, and didn’t he prove Benitez wrong.
He may have only played 45 minutes but the 25-year-old must be started against Bournemouth in order to keep the momentum going.
Axing Perez from the starting XI may have been a bit premature for this match as it was only a matter of time until he found his form again, but now he has a better chance then ever – especially as Muto came off with a calf problem.
There is a possibility that Benitez may experiment with a Rondon partnership with Perez up front, but at the moment, there is no point in fixing what is not broke.
Muto may be injured, but starting Rondon up top with Perez playing just behind him will surely be the formula that earns them another win over Bournemouth.
In order for this to happen, Benitez must reward the 5ft 10in [Transfermarkt] dazzler with a start this weekend – as he will be kicking himself if he does not.
