Newcastle United won in the Premier League on Monday.
Atsu featured for Newcastle in the Premier League game against Stoke away from home at the bet365 Stadium on Monday afternoon.
The 25-year-old winger started the match and played for 64 minutes, as the Magpies won 1-0.
The Ghana international was paired with striker Ayoze Perez upfront, and the duo combined well during their time on the pitch.
It was Perez’s goal that proved to be the difference between the Potters and the Magpies at the bet365 Stadium.
It was a strange decision from Benitez, given that the Spaniard had natural strikers Dwight Gayle and Joselu on the substitutes’ bench.
Newcastle manager Benitez has explained his decision to deploy Atsu as a striker despite the former FC Porto star being a winger by trade.
The winger joined Newcastle on a permanent contract from Chelsea in the summer of 2017 after spending the 2016-17 campaign on loan at St. James’ Park.
The Magpies had to pay the Blues a transfer fee of £6.2 million in order to secure the services of the Ghana international, according to Sky Sports.
Benitez told The Shields Gazette: “I knew that Atsu could play in this position, because I knew him before.
“Ayoze has very clear movement, and the understanding between them both was very good. Then the rest of the team were helping with good passes and movement.”
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