Newcastle United boss Rafael Benitez can’t bring Aleksandar Mitrovic back into the first XI.
One question is dividing Newcastle United fans at the moment: should Rafael Benitez start Aleksandar Mitrovic in Sunday’s visit of Liverpool?
Newcastle definitely need a goalscorer in the side by virtue of some wasteful performances from Joselu over the past two weeks, but the Spanish manager would send a terrible message by including the controversial Serbian in his first XI this weekend.
Mitrovic is eligible to play for the first time following a three-match ban for elbowing West Ham United’s Manuel Lanzini toward the end of August.
It was not the first time that the 23-year-old has been in trouble – nor will it be the last – but what sort of message would Benitez send to Mitrovic if he allows him to stroll straight into his first XI? Not a great one.
Where’s the incentive for him to stamp out that kind of silly behaviour if his manager effectively condones it by letting him waltz back into the team?
Benitez has been compared to a school teacher by two players in the past – Marco Materazzi and Jonjo Shelvey – and it’s important that he ensures Mitrovic learns his lesson rather than star a heavily-blotted copy book by bringing him back.
It makes sense for Mitrovic to start on a football level, because he is a level above Joselu and Dwight Gayle, but it’s important to look at the bigger picture and long term it doesn’t do him any good if Benitez rewards another moment of idiocy from the talented marksman by ushering him back immediately.
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