The Newcastle striker has barely featured this season while one of his team-mates has been persisted with despite his lack of discipline.
Aleksandar Mitrovic has struggled to get a look in at Newcastle United this season, with the striker’s lack of discipline seen as one of the main reasons for his omission.
However, Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez has still kept faith with Jonjo Shelvey, despite the midfielder also being prone to losing his cool at times.
Shelvey was sent off as Newcastle fell to a 1-0 defeat against Everton last night, with the midfielder having also been dismissed against Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the campaign.
Although Shelvey certainly possesses qualities, such as his passing range, that can help Newcastle’s cause, it is rather strange that he has been given further opportunities by Benitez despite his lack of discipline when the same certainly hasn’t applied to Mitrovic.
Mitrovic was booked four times last season, while in the previous campaign he received two red cards and five yellows.
It is clear that Mitrovic has disciplinary issues but that can’t be seen as a justifiable reason for him to be regularly omitted from the starting line-up – he has been involved from the outset just once in the Premier League this season.
There are other factors to consider, including Mitrovic’s lack of consistency, but his disciplinary record certainly isn’t a sufficient reason to leave him out considering the situation with Shelvey, especially given Newcastle’s struggles up front.
Shelvey, though, has remained a major part of Benitez’s side, even though he now has two red cards and three yellows, indicating that the manager’s stance on Mitrovic is rather unjust.
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