BBC Sport pundit Jermaine Jenas has praised Newcastle United striker Salomon Rondon for his performance against Liverpool on Saturday.
The Venezuelan hitman scored a superb goal to level things up at 2-2 at St James’ Park, only for substitute Divock Origi’s late goal to give the visitors all three points.
Still, Jenas was impressed by the 29-year-old’s efforts: “I think Rafa [Benitez] will be hugely proud of his team – hugely proud of this man Salomon Rondon,” he said on Match of the Day [04/05; 16:00]. “He occupied the whole back four, making really selfless runs like he’s doing here, putting that back four under enormous pressure.
“This [his goal] on his left foot is absolutely brilliant. Absolutely brilliant finish and completely warranted given the display he put in today, and he was unfortunate to be on the losing side, as well as the rest of his team.”
OPINION
Jenas is absolutely spot on, here. Rondon was magnificent against Liverpool, giving the joint-best defence in the Premier League absolute fits all game long at St James’ Park. To be fair, he’s been doing this all season. This sort of display is why Benitez was so keen to bring him in last summer, and why he remains desperate to keep him at the club. The way that the Spaniard has this Newcastle team playing is perfect for a striker like Rondon, and we saw that on Saturday. He encapsulates what this Magpies team is about: hard work and absolute commitment to the cause. He didn’t stop running from start to finish, while he gave Fabinho and Virgil van Dijk major problems in the aerial battle – there’s not many players that can say that, is there? The West Bromwich Albion loanee is a very selfless player, like Jenas says, and he makes everyone around him better. Who wouldn’t want him around next term?
