Could Ivan Toney’s fighting talk win over Newcastle United boss Rafael Benitez?

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The on-loan Scunthorpe United striker appears to face an uphill battle if he is to make an impact at Newcastle United.

Football may be more religion than sport in the passionate city of Newcastle so the lack of homegrown heroes graduating from the academy to the first-team in recent seasons certainly raises questions.

And Rafael Benitez’s recent claims suggest that Geordie will remain a peripheral language in the dressing room. In fact, they don’t bode well for any of the young players hoping to rise through the ranks at Newcastle.

“The ideal situation would be to bring a couple of players from the academy each year but if you want to compete at the highest level it is difficult,” Benitez told the Sunderland Echo.

“If you want to do that you have to bring in players from outside, or abroad, to compete with the other teams.”

So far, Benitez’s actions have spoken even louder than his words. Adam Armstrong plundered 20 goals on loan at League One outfit Coventry City last season but, instead of being handed an opportunity in the first-team, was farmed out to Barnsley on a temporary deal.

Meanwhile, fellow striker Ivan Toney is currently embarking on a second loan of the season, plying his trade at Scunthorpe United after a spell at Shrewsbury Town.

However, it seems that the 21-year-old, who is starting to find form at Glanford Park and netting a sublime overhead kick in the weekend’s win against Bradford, is starting to mature at the perfect time.

“You have got to put yourself about and you come up against big strong defenders who see you as a little boy because of my age,” the 21-year-old told the Scunthorpe Telegraph.

“I have got to show them I am not a little boy and no pushover. You have got to put yourself around and they will realise you can look after yourself.”

Struggling for starts initially at Scunthorpe, Toney’s weekend brace offered a timely reminder of his qualities. And this kind of fighting spirit and attitude may be what is required to win over Benitez.