The midfielder was recalled to the Newcastle side after a lengthy absence.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the hectic Winter schedule is seeing how managers make the most of their squad, with rotation a common occurrence.
A player who has certainly benefited in that regard is Henri Saivet, with the Newcastle United manager having been drafted in for his first senior appearance of the season in the 3-2 victory over West Ham United.
Saivet joined Newcastle from Bordeaux in January 2016 but his spell at St James’ Park certainly hasn’t gone to plan as this was just his sixth game for the club.
However, the 27-year-old relished his return to the side against West Ham. Although he made a mistake which led to West Ham taking the lead through Marko Arnautovic, Saivet found the net with an excellent free-kick shortly afterwards and produced an encouraging all-round display.
Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez has been searching for his best midfield combination all season, with the likes of Jonjo Shelvey, Isaac Hayden, Mohamed Diame and Mikel Merino all in the mix.
Now, however, Saivet is in contention for further involvement and, even if Hayden and Merino recover from knocks in time to feature, the Senegalese midfielder deserves to start when Newcastle host runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City tonight.
If he is called upon again then Saivet will certainly be determined to provide another indication that he could, after all, end up having a successful spell at Newcastle, and he could well play a major part in the club’s quest to avoid relegation.
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