The Spanish tactician picked up a valuable point on Tuesday night after steering his side to a 1-1 draw with Manchester City at St James’ Park.
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“They can build from the victory over Swansea and even more from the point against City”.
Benitez was unhappy with the award of the free-kick out on the left which Aleksandar Kolarov dropped on to Aguero’s head at the near post for the goal.
Newcastle sent the crowd wild when the home side levelled the match with a great low strike from full-back Vurnon Anita after 31 minutes.
“Liverpool have a midweek game, I would imagine that Jurgen Klopp would change his team around against Newcastle, which might or might not benefit us”, he said after the draw against the Citizens, on BBC Radio 5 live.
“We’ve got to win those games if we are to have a chance”.
“I was pleased with the reaction”. The team was different also because we made some changes and that’s why the game was not the same. “We know the position we are in and we need to fight and we need to do it together, and we showed it tonight”. “We had some options in the second half to score the second goal but it was not a good game”. When it arrived, the Argentine’s 100 career Premier League goal – only Alan Shearer reached the same milestone in fewer games – was offside and should not have stood, but City had started to turn the screw.
“I felt the reaction of players – they were fighting, they had commitment – and I felt the relationship with the fans – everything”.
Vurnon Anita scored his first Premier League goal since March 2014, ending a run of 53 games without one. We are not there yet, we know that. It moved a point ahead of Arsenal, and five ahead of Manchester United, with both teams having a game in hand. “That is what we are looking for and that is what we have”. There were times in the first half when his side looked so much better than Newcastle that it seemed they could do as they pleased but, to home side’s credit, they hung in there.
The Spaniard is assured of a warm reception thanks to his role in the remarkable Champions League final comeback win in Istanbul, and Cisse feels his arrival as Steve McClaren’s replacement has been the single most important factor in initiating a turnaround that could yet end in Newcastle clambering to safety.
“It could be better, but could it be worse”, he said. I think everybody can see that it was very positive for the next game.
Meanwhile, Newcastle winger Andros Townsend said: “It’s a point, we’re still alive, we’re still kicking and we’re still in there with a chance”.
“We have another 12 points to play for, we will continue, depending on what we do, to try to be in the Champions League next year”. “We showed great character”. Subs not used: De Jong, Shelvey, Saivet, Woodman.
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But Sissoko did not have to wait long to make amends as he played a significant role in the 31st-minute equaliser, sweeping a ball out to Anita, who had advanced to the edge of the City area from his auxiliary right-back role. Subs not used: Caballero, Demichelis, Otamendi, Iheanacho.
