Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff recently made his Premier League debut.
Longstaff made his first appearance for Newcastle in the Premier League during their match against Liverpool on Boxing Day.
However, the attacking midfielder was not in Benitez’s side to face Watford, with other options favoured.
And Benitez has revealed that he pulled Longstaff and Matt Ritchie to one side before the clash at Vicarage Road.
“I had a conversation with him [Ritchie] and Longstaff before the game – and he is learning a lot,” Benitez said. “I’m sure that he will be a better player every single week because he is listening, and he is trying to understand what is going on.
“That is something which is not easy when you are older. I was saying to Sean Longstaff about how he is young enough to listen and learn, while Ritchie is learning too.”
Longstaff did travel with the Newcastle team to Watford, but he was not even on the substitutes’ bench in the end.
In his absence, Newcastle picked up a 1-1 draw on the road.
The Magpies scored through Salomon Rondon and kept defensively strong to claim a credible point.
Newcastle are now in 15th place in the Premier League table, just three points above the drop zone.
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