Rafa Benitez has a simple message for his Newcastle players

Rafa Benitez has urged his Newcastle United side to keep calm and carry on '“ as they've achieved nothing yet.
Rafa Benitez animated on the touchline against Palace.Rafa Benitez animated on the touchline against Palace.
Rafa Benitez animated on the touchline against Palace.

Benitez’s side ended the weekend seventh in the Premier League after a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace.

Mikel Merino claimed all three points for Newcastle with a late header.

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United have made an impressive start to the season after promotion from the Championship, but manager Benitez sees room for improvement in a team which has an average age of just 25.

“It’s a young team, and we can improve a lot of things and we can improve a lot of players,” said Benitez.

“We must believe we can get results.

“The main thing is the players are working hard.

“You can say what you want, but if they are not willing to do it, the team will not improve.

“They want to work hard, and they want to learn, the players listen to you. That’s the main thing.

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“(With) young players, it’s easier when they see a manager with experience.

“You put everything together, and we have a team that still has plenty of games to go.

“But my message to everybody is that we’ve achieved nothing. We have to keep going.

“If we lose three games in a row, everybody will be panicking, but we’re in a really good position.

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“We have to keep doing the same things and stick together and take it one game at a time.

“We can be stronger if we keep this idea. If we think we have done a great job, we will not.

“I’m always demanding. That’s the way. You cannot think you have achieved anything because in my experience, if you do, that, you will not achieve anything.

“Everyone was expecting this would be an easy game, but it wasn’t.

“I have this experience. I can say ‘don’t do this, don’t do that’.

“We have to realise that we have to focus every single game.”