Jonjo Shelvey didn’t impress Newcastle United fans on his return to Rafael Benitez’s XI.
It’s safe to say that Newcastle United fans aren’t loving Jonjo Shelvey at the moment.
The 25-year-old returned from a two-match ban and was ushered straight back into Newcastle’s midfield by Rafael Benitez for Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat by Manchester City.
Benitez started Shelvey ahead of the brilliant Mikel Merino, who dropped to the bench, and Henri Saivet who didn’t even make the matchday squad despite his goal in last weekend’s 3-2 win at West Ham United.
And the former Liverpool and Swansea City midfielder struggled with the pace and intensity of the game to some extent – and made some questionable decisions throughout the defeat, including trying to lob Ederson from the halfway line.
He also lacked something of a killer pass in midfield and fans of the St James’s Park club have expressed their disappointment with him on Twitter.
Shelvey is a decent player, but perhaps Newcastle fans are right.
His red card in the 1-0 defeat by Everton was his second dismissal of the season and Benitez deserves a bit of criticism for bringing him straight back into the fold, even if he offers the defensive protection that Mikel and Saivet don’t offer.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
