Newcastle United and Rafa Benitez will travel to Watford for their Premier League clash on Saturday.
BBC pundit Mark Lawrenson has claimed that Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez will ‘turn the screw even more’ after their heavy loss at Liverpool on Boxing Day.
The former Anfield player stated that he knows ‘what Benitez is like’ as he expects the Magpies to try and make it more difficult for the opposition to beat them.
Benitez was beaten 4-0 at his old stomping ground, with the only consolating being that Liverpool are unbeaten in the Premier League this season and sitting top of the table.
After that heavy defeat, Newcastle will travel to Vicarage Road on Saturday where they will take on a Watford team that are currently sitting in the Premier League’s top 10.
Match of the Day pundit Lawrenson explained what Benitez will do as he expects Watford to claim all three points on their home turf.
“Newcastle were well beaten by Liverpool on Wednesday and I know what Magpies boss Rafael Benitez is like after a heavy loss,” Lawrenson told BBC Sport.
“He turns the screw even more to try to make it more difficult for teams to beat them. They will try to keep Watford quiet but I don’t see that happening.”
A defeat for Newcastle at Watford could see the bottom five teams in the Premier League close the gap on the north-east club.
The Magpies are seven points ahead of bottom-of-the-table Huddersfield and five points ahead of Burnley, who occupy the final relegation spot.
After the Watford clash, Newcastle will begin the new year with a home clash against the rejuvenated Manchester United, who have Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in interim charge.
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