Reading boss Jaap Stam was not especially impressed by Newcastle United after their clash last month.
Newcastle’s Dwight Gayle scores their fourth goal
Newcastle United recorded their first win over the season last month when they beat Reading 4-1.
The victory was marked by new number nine Dwight Gayle netting a brace, but the manager on the receiving end of the defeat was not particularly impressed with Newcastle’s display.
Reading’s manager Jaap Stam
Dutch legend Jaap Stam, in his first season as manager of the Royals, told Sky Bet in a chat hosted on Facebook Live that he felt the scoreline flattered Newcastle.
Asked if he felt Newcastle are the team to beat in the Championship this season, Stam responded: “Well, when we played them, no I didn’t think at that time they played particularly well.
“But to be fair, it is a great club, a beautiful club, they’ve brought a lot of new players in so they need to get used to each other as well.”
Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez and Reading manager Jaap Stam
Elaborating on his assessment of Newcastle’s victory, he felt the Toon were reliant on taking advantage from Reading from set pieces, a vulnerability he wants to eradicate from his team.
He said: “The Newcastle game we lost 4-1, [but] the first 3 goals that we conceded were from set pieces, If you look at the play on the field in possession wise I think we have done well against them.”
Since the result, Newcastle have gone onto record two more victories, keeping clean sheets in both, and are up to fourth place in the Championship despite losing their first two matches of the season.
Stam’s Reading are in 15th place, but just two points further back from Newcastle, drawing at Brighton and winning away to Cardiff City over the last fortnight.
Reading manager Jaap Stam
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
