Arsenal legend Thierry Henry believes that Newcastle United deserved to be relegated as they could not beat Aston Villa when they needed to in order to survive.
The Magpies were relegated alongside Norwich City and Aston Villa, who were doomed early on this season, but Newcastle were the only side in the top flight who did not beat the league’s bottom club.
They drew 1-1 at St. James’ Park earlier in the season and then toiled to a goalless draw just over a week ago, meaning that Sunderland just had to beat Everton in their penultimate game of the campaign to relegate them.
And Henry believes that, after spending so much money and not being able to beat Villa –who won just three games and lost 27 – Newcastle did not deserve to stay in the top flight.
“Sunderland bought players who straight had an impact on the team,” Henry said on Sky Sports. “When you look at the player that went to Newcastle: Jonjo Shelvey started well in his first game; Townsend you could say maybe finished well but Henri Saivet wasn’t there, and Seydou Doumbia made a couple of appearances.
“One thing that sums it up for me, if you don’t win at Villa and you need to stay up you don’t deserve to stay up, I’m sorry. That’s as simple as that.”
The appointment of Steve McClaren as manager last summer was a big mistake by Newcastle but their inability to make a clinical decision and make a change in the dugout earlier in the campaign was an even bigger error.
Bringing in Rafael Benitez for the final 10 games of the season was a big move and one that should have been done earlier as, with more games, the Spaniard may well have saved the Magpies.
Newsnow.co.uk
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