Benitez playing Schar in midfield has dazzled many Newcastle fans

Follow us on Google Discover

Newcastle United saw off Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup on Tuesday night.

Newcastle United are into the Fourth Round of the FA Cup after beating Blackburn Rovers 4-2 in extra time on Tuesday night.

After a 2-2 draw at St James’ Park in the first game, Newcastle faced a replay at Ewood Park in a game that Rafael Benitez really could have done without.

The Magpies were impressive early on though, as Sean Longstaff gave them the lead in the first minute before Cal Roberts made it 2-0 midway through the first half.

Newcastle buckled though as ex-Magpie Adam Armstrong pulled one back, and Darragh Lenihan scored on the stroke of half time to make it 2-2.

That’s how it stayed until extra time, when Joselu and Ayoze Perez struck either side of the break to give Newcastle a 4-2 win on the night and a clash with Watford in the next round.

Benitez handed playing time to fringe players like Longstaff and Roberts, and he even made a shock experiment by playing Fabian Schar in holding midfield.

The Swiss international, 27, did drop back into a centre back role when Jamaal Lascelles picked up an injury, but the summer signing from Deportivo La Coruna impressed.

Fans took to Twitter to call Schar ‘class’ and ‘outstanding’, believing that he should start in holding midfield in Saturday’s game against Cardiff and possibly for the rest of the season, as fans were dazzled by his passing range and want him over Isaac Hayden any time.