Rafa Benitez was delighted to see Newcastle’s three-game mini-slump come to an end.
When asked to assess the performance, Benitez said: “We started really well in the game and we were really focused.
“We needed that after the Blackburn game and we could not allow the other team to play.
“We had to start well, we played good football and created chances.
“We scored two goals and then we had to do the same in the second half.
“They started well and were pushing but once we scored the third goal there were a lot of chances for us again.
“I was pleased with the concentration of the players and how we played.
“I was pleased with the hat-trick of Dwight Gayle but also the contribution of Mo Diame and the rest of the team.
“There were a lot of players realised how important it was to play well today and win, and we did it.”
The Toon's Greatest 100 Players. . .Ever! - £10.99
Available from Amazon and Kindle: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Toons-Greatest-100-Players-Ever/dp/132629685X
Or contact: Kevnumad@fsmail.net for a signed copy.
This book is a collection of the 100 Greatest Newcastle United players of all time, as voted for by NewcastleUtd-Mad.co.uk readers and a panel of journalists who contribute to the website.
The players are in an order of five-per-chapter, counting down from 100 to Newcastle United's greatest ever player (as viewed by the author), but the whole point of the book is for You (the reader) to decide who goes where.
The list is not, by any means, definitive. As with all books of this nature, whether it be "Greatest Albums"; "Best Movies Of All Time"; or "Top 100 Pin-Ups Of The Year" . . . no two people have exactly the same opinion.
There will be controversy over who is on the list, and chances are, more controversy over who is not.
Here are the best of the best. I have painted the picture with each player's profile. Where they end up in the league of Nufc's Greatest is up to you.
Because You have the final word.
Newcastle United Fixtures
Wednesday December 14
19:45 Championship Wigan Athletic v Newcastle United
Saturday December 17
15:00 Championship Burton Albion v Newcastle United
Monday December 26
19:45 Championship Newcastle United v Sheff Wed
Friday December 30
19:45 Championship Newcastle United v N Forest
NEWCASTLE 4 BIRMINGHAM 0 (Gayle 3, Gouffran)
Darlow, Anita, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie, Shelvey, Hayden (82' Lazaar), Gouffran (70' Atsu), Diame, Gayle (79' Mitrovic)
Subs: Mbemba, Yedlin, Tiote, Sels
NOTTINGHAM FOREST 2 NEWCASTLE UTD 1 (Ritchie)
Darlow, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Hayden, Shelvey, Ritchie, Perez (45' Anita), Gouffran (77' Diame), Gayle (87' Mitrovic)
Subs: Mbemba, Tiote, Sels, Atsu
LC HULL CITY 1 NEWCASTLE UNITED 1 (Diame) * Lost on pens
Sels, Anita (108 Yedlin), Lascelles, Clark, Lazaar, Ritchie (80 Atsu), Shelvey, Hayden (105 Murphy), Gouffran, Diame, Gayle
Subs: Dummett, Mbemba, Tiote, Darlow
NEWCASTLE 0 BLACKBURN ROVERS 1
Darlow, Yedlin, Mbemba (85' Gayle), Clark, Gamez (55' Dummett), Ritchie, Hayden, Shelvey, Atsu, Perez, Mitrovic
Subs: Lascelles, Anita, Diame, Gouffran, Sels
LEEDS UTD 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Gayle 2)
Darlow, Anita, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie, Colback (83' Hayden), Shelvey, Gouffran (76' Diame), Perez, Gayle (79' Mitrovic)
Subs: Mbemba, Yedlin, Sels, Atsu
NEWCASTLE 2 CARDIFF 1 (Atsu, Gouffran)
Darlow, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Atsu (89' Diame), Shelvey, Hayden, Gouffran (72' Anita), Perez, Mitrovic
Subs: Colback, Hanley, Lazaar, Gayle, Sels
PRESTON 1 NEWCASTLE 2 (Mitrovic 2)
Darlow, Yedlin (90+5' Hanley), Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie (90+2' Atsu), Hayden, Shelvey, Gouffran, Diame, Mitrovic (86' Perez)
Subs: Lazaar, Anita, Gamez, Sels
LC NEWCASTLE 6 PRESTON 0 (Mitrovic 2, Diame 2, Ritchie (pen), Perez)
Sels, Yedlin, Mbemba, Hanley, Dummett (58' Anita), Ritchie (75' Perez), Hayden, Colback (32' Shelvey), Atsu, Diame, Mitrovic
Subs: Clark, Gayle, Gouffran, Darlow
NEWCASTLE 3 IPSWICH TOWN 0 (Perez 2, Ritchie)
Darlow, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie, Colback, Shelvey (83' Hayden), Gouffran (75' Atsu), Perez, Gayle (79' Mitrovic)
Subs: Anita, Diame, Mbemba, Sels
BARNSLEY 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Gayle 2)
Darlow, Anita, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Shelvey, Hayden, Ritchie (83' Atsu), Diame (90+2' Colback), Gouffran, Gayle
Subs: Lazaar, Perez, Yedlin, Sels, Mitrovic
NEWCASTLE 3 BRENTFORD 1 (Clark, Gayle 2)
Darlow; Anita, Lascelles (Hanley 60), Clark, Dummett; Shelvey, Colback; Atsu (Yedlin 72), Perez, Gouffran (Lazaar 84); Gayle.
Subs: Sels, Hayden, Diame, Mitrovic.
ROTHERHAM 0 NEWCASTLE 1 (Atsu)
Darlow, Anita, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Atsu (67' Ritchie), Shelvey, Colback, Gouffran, Diame (87' Hanley), Gayle (79' Mitrovic)
Subs: Hayden, Mbemba, Yedlin, Sels
NEWCASTLE 4 NORWICH 3 (Gayle 3, Gouffran)
Darlow, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett (92 Atsu), Ritchie, Shelvey, Colback (71' Hayden), Gouffran, Diame (71' Mitrovic), Gayle
Subs: Lazaar, Perez, Mbemba, Sels
ASTON VILLA 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (Elphick og)
Sels, Yedlin (75' Tiote), Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie, Hayden, Shelvey, Gouffran, Diame, Gayle (80' Mitrovic)
Subs: Hanley, Lazaar, Perez, Darlow, Atsu
LC NEWCASTLE 2 WOLVES 0 (Ritchie, Gouffran)
Darlow, Yedlin, Hanley, Clark, Lazaar, Shelvey, Colback, Ritchie (86' Lascelles), Diame (72' Perez), Gouffran (75' Atsu), Murphy
Subs: Dummett, Hayden, Woodman, Mitrovic
NEWCASTLE UTD 0 WOLVES 2
Sels, Anita, Mbemba, Lascelles, Dummett, Hayden (Mitrovic 62) Shelvey, Ritchie (Atsu 63), Diame, Perez, Gayle
Subs not used: Clark, Colback, Gouffran, Yedlin, Darlow
QPR 0 NEWCASTLE 6 (Shelvey 2, Perez, Clark, Mitrovic, Hanley)
Sels, Anita, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett (65' Hanley), Gouffran (61' Atsu), Hayden, Shelvey, Ritchie, Perez, Mitrovic (74' Yedlin)
Subs: Colback, Gayle, Diame, Darlow
DERBY CO 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Gouffran, Yedlin)
Sels, Anita, Mbemba, Lascelles, Dummett, Ritchie, Shelvey, Colback, Gouffran (73' Yedlin), Diame (88' Hayden), Gayle (76' Perez)
Subs: Clark, Lazaar, Darlow, Mitrovic
NEWCASTLE 2 BRIGHTON 0 (Lascelles, Shelvey)
Sels, Anita (72' Gamez), Mbemba, Lascelles, Dummett, Ritchie, Hayden, Shelvey, Gouffran (88' Yedlin), Diame (81' Colback), Perez
Subs: Clark, Hanley, Darlow, Armstrong
(LC) NEWCASTLE 2 CHELTENHAM 0 (Perez 2)
Darlow, Sterry, Lascelles, Hanley, Gamez, Aarons (24' Gouffran), Shelvey, Colback, Perez, Diame, Mitrovic (38' Gayle)
Subs: Dummett, Hayden, Mbemba, Sels
BRISTOL CITY 0 NEWCASTLE 1 (Gayle)
Sels, Anita, Mbemba, Lascelles, Clark, Ritchie, Hayden (87' Shelvey), Colback, Gouffran, Diame (63' Perez), Gayle (88' Aarons)
Subs: Dummett, Hanley, Darlow, Sterry
NEWCASTLE 4 READING 1 (Hayden, Ritchie (P), Gayle 2)
Sels, Anita, Mbemba, Clark, Dummett, Hayden, Shelvey, Ritchie (90' Aarons), Perez (76' Lascelles), Gouffran (84' Colback), Gayle
Subs: Hanley, Janmaat, Darlow, Armstrong
NEWCASTLE 1 HUDDERSFIELD 2 (Gayle)
Sels, Janmaat (83' Armstrong), Mbemba, Lascelles, Dummett, Anita, Hayden, Shelvey, Aarons (45' Ritchie), Diame (75' Perez), Gayle
Subs: Clark, Colback, Darlow, Gamez
FULHAM 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Sels; Janmaat, Lascelles, Hanley, Dummett; Hayden (Shelvey 77), Colback (Aarons 61); Ritchie, Perez (Armstrong 70), Anita; Gayle.
Subs Mbemba, Darlow, Jesus Gamez, Sterry.
NEWCASTLE 3 VITESSE ARNHEM 2 (Leerdam (og), Gayle, Colback)
Sels; Janmaat (Sterry, 74), Hanley (Gamez, 62), Lascelles, Dummett; Hayden (Saivet, 74), Colback (Shelvey, 62); Anita (Mitrovic, 74), Perez (Armstrong, 62), Ritchie (Aarons, 62); Gayle (Gouffran, 74). Subs not: Darlow, Tiote, Thauvin.
SOUTHEND UTD 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Anita, Gouffran)
Darlow; Janmaat (Sterry 63), Mbemba (Hanley 63), Lascelles, Dummett; Hayden (Colback 63), Shelvey (Saivet 73); Anita (Thauvin 78), Perez (Mitrovic 73), Aarons (Gouffran 63); Gayle (Armstrong 63).
Sub not used: Sels.
SPORTING LOKEREN 0 NEWCASTLE 4 (Perez 2, Perez, Janmaat, Shelvey)
Sels (Darlow 72); Sterry (Gouffran 63), Mbemba (Saivet 72), Lascelles (Dummett 63), Anita (Gamez 46); Hayden (Shelvey 46), Colback (Tiote 72); Janmaat, Perez (Mitrovic 46), Aarons (Thauvin 63), Gayle (Armstrong 63).
Subs not used: None.
DONCASTER ROVERS 2 NEWCASTLE UTD 2 (Hayden, Perez)
Sels, Janmaat (Sterry, 45), Mbemba (Saivet, 65), Lascelles (Dummett, 45), Colback (Hayden, 45), Anita (Gamez, 45), Ritchie (Gouffran, 45), Aarons (Perez, 45), Shelvey (Wijnaldum, 79), Mitrovic (Gayle, 45), Armstrong (Thauvin, 60).
BOHEMIANS 0 NEWCASTLE 6 (Ritchie, Mitrovic, Gayle, Thauvin, Aarons, Wijnaldum)
Sels, Anita, Lascelles, Mbemba, Sterry, Aarons, Colback, Gouffran, Ritchie, Saivet, Mitrovic.
Subs: Darlow, Gamez, Dummett, Wijnaldum, Shelvey, Hayden, Perez, Gayle, Janmaat, Tiote, Thauvin.