The winger scored his second Newcastle United goal in the win over Cardiff.
Newcastle United winger Christian Atsu has told the Chronicle he is very grateful to manager Rafa Benitez for giving him a chance this season.
The winger arrived at the club in the summer transfer window as one of a number of new players brought in by the Spaniard.
The loan move is his fifth away from Chelsea in the last three years and he is yet to make a first-team appearance for his parent club.
This one is proving to be his most successful to date, with two goals in three starts an impressive return for a player who managed just two in two different loan spells last year.
Atsu is clearly grasping his opportunity and says he is very grateful for Benitez giving it to him in the first place.
“I’m very grateful to Rafa for giving me this opportunity,” he told the Chronicle.
“I just want to keep working hard and helping the team, and we’ll see what happens. I’m happy. I’m always prepared, so when I get a chance I can take it.”
Atsu will now be hoping he gets mores chances to impress as the season progresses.
He has played second fiddle to Matt Ritchie so far but with the Championship a long and arduous one, to say the least, he is likely to be needed more as the campaign progresses.
Indeed, Benitez has already shown his desire to employ a rotation policy and the winger should look to take advantage of that as he presumably eyes a permanent move to the North East.
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