Lascelles was dropped from Rafael Benitez’s side for the victory over Reading last month.
Newcastle United captain Jamaal Lascelles has told the Daily Express that he is glad that he was dropped from the starting XI by Rafael Benitez because it served as a much-needed wake-up call.
Lascelles, named as Fabricio Coloccini’s full-time replacement as skipper this summer after impressing in the latter half of last term, played the full 90 minutes in the Magpies’ first two Championship games of the season, disappointing defeats to Fulham and Huddersfield Town.
His less-than-convincing form prompted Benitez to make the big call of dropping him from his side for the following game, in which Newcastle kickstarted their campaign with a 4-1 victory over Reading.
Lascelles came on for the final 15 minutes of that clash, and after being restored to the line-up for the following game, both he and the team as a whole have not looked back.
The decision to remove him from the side was a hotly-debated one, but Lascelles himself has admitted that he is now glad that Benitez was so ruthless with him as it gave him the kick up the backside that he needed.
The 22-year-old told the Express: “It was a wake-up call for me. I’m glad he did it because it sets the standards for the rest of the team. If you are not pulling your weight, you will be out of the team. I’m not one to sulk and think, ‘why have I been dropped?’.
“It’s a long season and the manager told us he is going to rotate. Everybody knows what the task is and what is needed. So we’re all going to listen to him and get on with it.
“You need a single-minded group of players and that’s what we’re trying to work towards.”
Newcastle have found their stride in recent weeks, and go into Saturday evening’s trip to Derby County on the back of a four-game winning streak in all competitions.
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