Rafa Benitez revealed that he told his Newcastle United players to manage the pressure of Premier League matches better if they are to beat the drop following the crushing last-gap defeat to Norwich City
The Magpies trooped back into the dressing room with their heads down following Martin Olsson’s 93rd-minute winner at Carrow Road on Saturday, a goal which condemned them to an eighth successive league defeat on the road.
Norwich’s win also saw the Canaries move six points clear of United, and they also have a far superior goal difference to that of Newcastle.
Given that the Magpies have only seven games in which to save themselves, Benitez knows he simply must lift his players’ spirits before next weekend’s trip to the south coast to take on Southampton.
So following the Norwich defeat, he gathered his players in the dressing room and delivered a message to them.
Benitez explained: “After the game, everybody’s heads were a little bit down but I was telling them: ‘Listen, we have to manage the momentum of the game much better, the bits when we were attacking and then in the last minute when we had to defend well.’
“That is part of the work I have to do every week, give them some tips so they know what to do when they are under pressure and it is maybe more difficult to think.
“When you have just lost a game like this one, you have to be a little bit down, but my job is to give them the confidence, enough confidence for the next games and to lift them because I think the reaction was quite positive in the second half.”