Newcastle United are still without a Premier League win this season.
Newcastle United’s winless start to the season continued on Saturday, as they slipped to a 2-0 defeat at home to Leicester City.
Rafael Benitez’s side have just two points from their opening seven Premier League games and are in the relegation zone.
The Magpies weren’t at the races in the clash against Leicester and were undone by goals from English duo Jamie Vardy and Marry Maguire.
Pundit Paul Merson singled out Newcastle midfielder Jonjo Shelvey after the match as someone that is going through a tough spell.
The 26-year-old central midfielder is regarded by most as the club’s best individual talent, but the playmaker was unable to dictate play against Leicester and has struggled in games this season.
“The thing with Shelvey now is there is nobody making any runs so when he gets on the ball and looks up not too many players want the ball,” Merson told Sky Sports programme Gillette Soccer Saturday (5:15pm, 29 September).
“That is a problem because he is a good passer of the ball so he’s finding it hard now because times he did get on the ball [against Leicester] a lot of people standing behind players putting their hands up.”
Newcastle will be desperate for Shelvey – who earns £70,000-a-week, according to spotrac.com – to find his top form over the next few weeks.
The English midfielder can keep his side ticking over when he is in the mood, but right now the North East club are falling short on the pitch.
Benitez over-performed last campaign by dragging a fairly average Newcastle squad to a 10th-placed finish and he needs one of his more talented individuals in Shelvey to drag them out of a poor position.
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