Newcastle take on Preston North End in the fourth round of the EFL Cup.
Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez insists he will pick his strongest team for the EFL Cup clash with Preston, like he does for every game, speaking to The Chronicle.
The Magpies sailed into round four with 2-0 wins over both Cheltenham and Wolves, and a win at home to Preston would see them reach the quarter finals of the competition, and Benitez will pick 11 players he believes are capable of winning the game.
Newcastle United Manager Rafael Benitez
“We try to put the strongest team out for each game every time,” Benitez told The Chronicle.
“If I pick different players for the cup, it is not because I don’t consider the cup to be important. It is just that I see the need to change things for that particular game.”
Newcastle reached the fifth round of the competition in 2014 under Alan Pardew, but were knocked out by Tottenham, and that was as good as it got for the Magpies and cup runs under the current Crystal Palace manager.
Newcastle United Manager Rafael Benitez
The 55-year-old would frequently select weakened teams in domestic cup games, which would inevitably see Newcastle crash out of the tournament at an early stage, and the club’s board would actually state that they did not see the cups as a priority.
There has been a change of plan under Benitez, who is treating the cup with the respect it deserves, as well as giving fans a chance to dream of a trip to Wembley and raise some silverware, a dream that has been a distant memory for too long at St James’ Park.
Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez
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