Effort Should Be A 'Given'!

Last updated : 20 November 2017 By Footy Mad - Editor

The Toon fans walked out of Old Trafford praising the effort of the Newcastle players.

Image result for Man Utd 4 Newcastle 1But, to me, giving 100% should be a "given". If players don't try they shouldn't be handed their wages!

However, effort will only get you so far - quality is the difference between winning and losing.

You might nick the odd result at Old Trafford against Man United, but this Red Devils team will overwhelm the vast majority of top-flight sides they play at home this season.

As well as Newcastle did for 37 minutes, during which time they worked tirelessly and really rattled the Red Devils, eventually Man United’s class told.

The pace of Martial and Marcus Rashford and the power of Lukaku caused Newcastle problems, but it was Pogba who was the true class.

It was unfortunate for Newcastle that the Frenchman made his return from a two-month injury absence in this match, because Pogba’s vision and ingenuity dragged the home side back into the game - and then took it away from the visitors.

Man United’s forward line on display cost the best part of £200m, with Pogba alone signing for £89m - meaning he himself was worth almost the equivalent of the entire Newcastle starting XI.

Even when Kevin Keegan took Newcastle agonisingly close to winning the title, he could not break their Old Trafford hoodoo.

In fact, the Magpies went 42 years without a victory away to the Red Devils until Yohan Cabaye’s winner in 2013.

But the stats make for miserable reading; since World War II, Newcastle have defeated Man United at Old Trafford on just three occasions.

It is also now only one win in their last 17 top-flight away matches stretching back to December 2015.

Benitez desperately needs investment in January and beyond to make Newcastle truly competitive in the top flight again. At the moment, he is simply attempting to do the best with what he has - but there is a limit to that.