What went wrong for Newcastle?

Sunderland’s emphatic victory over Everton has condemned their north east rivals Newcastle to relegation from the Premier League.

The Magpies had a pre-season target of a top-eight finish but have spent the majority of the season in the relegation zone and their return to the Championship was confirmed by Sunderland’s 3-0 win over Everton at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday.

But where did it go wrong for the club? We look at some of the key factors…

Benitez appointed too late

Rafa Benitez could barely have imagined he’d be involved in a relegation scrap with Newcastle when he was appointed manager of Real Madrid at the start of this season. However, had he arrived in the north east sooner he may well have been able to steer the Magpies to safety.

Steve McClaren, himself only named Newcastle boss last summer, saw his failed tenure end on 11 March after weeks of speculation about his future. By that stage, seven defeats in 10 Premier League games had left Newcastle stuck in the relegation zone and Benitez was given just 10 fixtures to save their top-flight status. 

The first four games yielded just one point – a dramatic draw in the Tyne-Wear derby – but Benitez has since inspired his side to a five-game unbeaten run (their best streak since November 2014) and has matched the two wins McClaren managed in his final 12 games with victories over Swansea and Crystal Palace.

The problem for Newcastle was it was too little, too late. A situation reminiscent of the club’s 2008/09 relegation, when Alan Shearer took over from temporary boss Chris Hughton with eight games to play. “They have made exactly the same mistake as seven years ago by not giving the new man enough time,” Shearer told The Sun. “In 2009, I was made manager with just eight games to go. I knew straight away it was not long enough. It took …

continue reading in source www.skysports.com