Dwight Gayle has been in fine form all season, while Aleksandar Mitrovic is on a scoring run.
Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez seems keen not to partner Dwight Gayle and Aleksandar Mitrovic in attack, despite both forwards finding some decent goal-scoring form, the Chronicle reports.
Gayle has scored 11 goals so far this term, while Mitrovic followed up his brace in the EFL Cup against Preston with another in the league against the same opposition to take his goal-scoring tally to five in all competitions.
Understandably, some are thinking what they could do to opposition defences as a partnership, but Benitez seems keen to play one forward from the start of games, which has worked well so far this season.
The Newcastle boss is quoted in the Chronicle, saying: “If they score two goals, each one every time that they play, I’m not too worried about playing one at a time.
“Maybe the other one can score two goals and I’ll be happy with that.
“No-one can guarantee that if you play with two strikers you will be much better. So we are quite good now, and we will keep enjoying this situation.”
Benitez can be happy with the current situation for several reasons. If both players are in good form then it enables him to rest the other and keep them both fresh for the duration of a long season, where it seems to be more than just the league where the Magpies are showing their good form.
Secondly, he is adopting the attitude of ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’. Playing the lone striker is working for his side so far in that they are three points clear of the rest of the field at the top of the Championship and it does not seem to be the right time to make a change that could upset the balance of the side.
Also, he has that option on the bench for late on in games. Opponents will take note of that, as will teammates, but Benitez seems happy to have two men who are capable of delivering the goods in the final third for his side.
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