Rafa Benitez has launched a staunch defence of Joselu - and warned vocal critics of the forward that Newcastle United will only survive this season if everyone associated with the club “sticks together”.
The Spanish striker has scored just twice in 12 appearances for Newcastle since joining from Stoke City for £4.8million during the summer window, and he has failed to find the back of the net in any of his last six outings.
But, given the low price Newcastle paid for the 27-year-old during a summer in which transfer fees rose exponentially, Benitez insists it is unfair to expect Joselu to perform like an £80m forward.
The Magpies are currently on a four-game losing run and have won only one of their last eight matches but, ahead of Tuesday night’s trip to West Bromwich Albion, Benitez admitted things “could get worse” before they get better.
What’s more, the Spaniard cautions supporters that criticism of his “committed” squad will not benefit the Magpies in the long run, with some players likely to be adversely affected by them.
“My message is to remind a lot of people that we have what we have, we are where we are,” Benitez replied when asked if he was upset by criticism of Joselu.
“It could get worse, and I don’t want to be right, because I was right before when I said we would lose more games. I really don’t want to be right, but I knew last time that I could be right.
“We have the top six and they can beat anyone and the others can compete against anyone. How much have some of the teams below us spent? They are changing managers, why? Because something is wrong.
“What happens in the Premier League now is you have the top six and the others, where anyone can beat anyone.
“In the past when I came here everyone was questioning the commitment of some players. The last year in the Championship everyone was saying fantastic commitment. You cannot expect a player who cost £5m to perform like a player who cost £80m.
“But Joselu is doing well because he’s doing a great job for the team. Then there is [DeAndre] Yedlin, he had a great game [against Watford]. I was surprised at the criticism.
“But it wasn’t true, we have to help him. The players around him have to be closer and we have to communicate better. We had to support him a bit more.
“To criticise our players is not fair because our players are giving everything. You can be better or worse, you can miss a chance or you can score an own goal, whatever.
“But if they give everything, me as a manager, I am happy with that and they [the fans] have to be happy.”