OPINION
Newcastle United’s midfielders have been battling it out for a starting spot ever since Sean Longstaff was ruled out with injury.
Isaac Hayden has proved that he deserves an extended run in the team after some impressive performances, which has left the likes of Mo Diame, Jonjo Shelvey and Ki sung-yueng competing to play alongside him.
It has mainly been Diame and Ki who have been taking turns, and on Friday, it was the South Korean’s turn to prove to Rafa Benitez why it should be him who claims the spot.
However, that could not be further from the truth in recent weeks. The 30-year-old we saw blow everyone away in one of his first games for the club at the back end of last year seems to have disappeared into thin air, and that will no doubt be very worrying for the manager.
In fact, alarm bells are surely ringing for Benitez, especially with the likes of Hayden almost certain to leave in the summer.
In the 1-0 win over Leicester on Friday, Ki was not at his best once again. His passing game was rather off colour, as he could not seem to find his man on numerous occasions.
This is unusual and out of character for the £40,000-a-week [Spotrac] player. Normally, his passing game is on point and is always the one attribute he can be relied on to do well, but that was certainly not the case this time around.
If he continues his woeful form, then Benitez will have no choice but to axe him from the team, especially with two other players vying to get on the pitch.
Ki has the talent to be a success at the club, so it is about time that he started showing it off again.
