Newcastle have never lost three consecutive games under Benitez so they will need to avoid a repeat of their recent performances when they play Nottingham Forest.
Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez has demanded better game management from his side as they look to put an end to a run of two consecutive defeats against Nottingham Forest on Friday evening, The Chronicle reports.
The Spaniard was left dismayed as The Magpies gifted Robert Snodgrass an immediate equaliser after Mo Diame had seemingly put them into the EFL Cup semi-finals on Tuesday, with ten-man hosts Hull City going on to win on penalties.
And Benitez hopes the Championship league leaders have learned from their costly lapse in concentration as they prepare to face off against a Forest side who have won their last two games and rank as the second highest scorers in the division – behind Newcastle.
“In terms of the goal we conceded [against Hull] you have to realise it wasn’t just one minute after, the way we conceded – we made three mistakes in the build-up – and that is something we have to learn,” Benitez told The Chronicle.
“We played against a Premier League team and for a long time we were the better team, we had a lot of chances, and then when we scored we needed to manage the situation better.
“We should have defended better because we needed to control the game at that point, we had nearly won.
“Because we were pushing and pushing we were probably a little too much relaxed, there needed to be the right tension and focus.”
Forest boss Philippe Montanier confirmed on Thursday that star striker Britt Assombalonga would be fit to start at the City Ground, meaning Newcastle’s defence will have to be on guard against a player who has scored six times in just four Championship starts.
And goalkeeper Karl Darlow is expected to return between the sticks for The Magpies, especially with under-fire shot-stopper Matz Sels hardly helping his chances of a league recall with an untimely spill that left directly to Hull’s equaliser in midweek.
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