Only a week ago Rafael Benitez uttered the self-assured words that he was not worried about the sack from Newcastle United. Well, Mr Benitez you had better start thinking about life away from St James's Park, as another defeat on Saturday should be the final nail in the coffin for a manager that has brought nothing but negativity to the north east club this season.
In the aftermath of Benitez fending off questions about his tenure at the Magpies, he watched his toothless Newcastle side put up another lacklustre performance against a pretty mediocre Brighton & Hove Albion outfit on home soil, who took all three points thanks to a first-half strike from Beyam Kayal.
Defeat against the Seagulls was Newcastle's seventh of this season's Premier League campaign, and with only a meagre two draws to go along with that flurry of defeats the Magpies sit bottom of the table on two points and are staring relegation to the Championship full in the face.
As they have been accustomed for several years now, Newcastle fans continue to back their managers despite things turning sour on the pitch, and you have to praise their passionate support of Benitez. Most of the vitriol from Newcastle fans is aimed at controversial owner Mike Ashley, who is reportedly not willing to provide the much-needed funds to improve the current under-performing squad, and in most Magpies' eyes is the reason why Newcastle are adrift at the bottom of the table.
But, while Benitez hides behind the smokescreen that is Ashley and his consortium, it must come to a stage that the veteran Spanish manager must produce the goods with the cards he's been dealt. Heading out on to the pitch, Benitez's current crop lack any notable direction, while their spineless attacking shows often gift their opponent's defences an easy 90 minutes, and it has come to the stage where enough is enough and this could be Benitez's potential replacement.
If Benitez is unable to galvanise a squad devoid of confidence then it's time for him to go. An away tie with fellow strugglers Southampton on Saturday afternoon is the ideal match for Benitez to rally his troops and ignite some much-needed positivity within a squad low in confidence. But, if he fails to record Newcastle's first win of the season against a Saints side that have only scored six goals in the Premier League (same as Newcastle) then Benitez must go and Ashley & Co should start searching for a new boss that can keep them in the top-flight of English football.
#BHANEW
