Newcastle 0-2 Watford
at St James’ Park
by Harry De Cos

AS NEWCASTLE United enter what could possibly be the biggest week in their recent history, the mood at St James’ Park is flat.

For the 13th year in succession, there will be no FA Cup fifth round tie to celebrate, after Watford ran out 2-0 winners on Saturday.

Not that the 34,000-strong home crowd needed reminding, but the lack of quality at Rafael Benitez’s disposal was laid bare again as second-half goals from Andre Gray and Isaac Success settled the tie.

No new players have arrived with just days of the transfer window remaining. Loan deals for Lazio fullback Jordan Lukaku and Atletico Madrid winger Gelson Martins fell through this week, with a bid for Atlanta United’s Miguel Almiron at a reported impasse. 

Signings will be needed to satisfy the manager if he is to sign a new deal at the end of the season, when his current deal runs out.

But after Newcastle were announced as the 19th richest club in the Deloitte Money League, fans are left asking: “Where has the money gone?”

Benitez, who has point blank refused to discuss the transfer window throughout January, admits he was disappointed he couldn’t focus on a cup run as the battle against relegation continues.

“I’m disappointed obviously,” he said.

“With a little bit more, we could win this game. But the fans know, that I couldn’t make 11 changes [as Watford did]. I don’t need to explain every time.

“We put a team on the pitch that could win, but we didn’t do it. Now we have to concentrate on one competition.”

Watford may be seventh in the Premier League, but that didn’t stop them changing their entire team for the game. They had the first sight of goal just five minutes in when Domingos Quina stung the palms of Freddie Woodman from distance, before Nathaniel Chalobah fired a free kick inches over.

With Ayoze Perez and Salomon Rondon on the bench, Newcastle lacked ideas. A wayward cross from Kennedy summed up the performance and his season generally as the Magpies desperately searched for inspiration.

The second half started as tentatively as the first had ended, but just a minute past the hour, Gray put the Hornets ahead.

Having slipped away from Jamaal Lascelles to meet Will Hughes’s exquisite reverse pass, he drove the ball past the onrushing Woodman.

Benitez soon summoned the Armada, bringing Perez and Christian Atsu on for Jacob Murphy and Matt Ritchie. Boos could be heard as the latter departed, but little could be done to stop Success wrapping it up in stoppage time.

Javi Garcia hit back at suggestions he played a weakened side, claiming he trusts all of his players.



“Sometimes it isn’t easy for me to explain how important all of my players are,” he said.

“When I say I believe in all of my squad, it is because I believe in all my squad.

“It is important to show that they are all working hard.”