Christian Atsu played upfront for Newcastle against Stoke with both Dwight Gayle and Joselu dropping to the bench.
Newcastle striker Ayoze Perez scores the winning goal during the Premier League match against Stoke City.
Newcastle United secured back-to-back away wins in the Premier League for the first time since November 2014 when they beat Stoke City 1-0 on New Year’s Day.
Ayoze Perez scored the 73rd minute winner after being given the responsibility of leading the Magpies’ attack, with both Dwight Gayle and Joselu on the bench.
Ayoze Perez of Newcastle United celebrates scoring his side’s first goal with teammate Dwight Gayle during the Premier League match against Stoke City.
Perez was supported upfront by Christian Atsu, with the usual winger playing in an unfamiliar position behind the Spaniard in a new system that paid off for manager Rafa Benitez.
While that would have been a boost for Benitez, for the two strikers that found themselves among the substitutes it will be a worrying sign that their boss would prefer to play two others out of position rather than them.
Joselu of Newcastle United and Gaetan Bong of Brighton and Hove Albion battle for possession during the Premier League match at St James’ Park.
For Gayle and Joselu – who have both scored three goals apiece in 19 Premier League outings this season – that becomes even more concerning with the Northern Echo reporting loan bids are in for Liverpool’s Danny Ings and Islam Slimani of Leicester City.
By the time the January transfer window closes on the 31st of the month, both forwards could find themselves very much on the periphery of the Newcastle squad.
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