Ex-Sunderland star does not agree with Benitez’s tinkering of the Newcastle squad

Former Sunderland midfielder Don Hutchison has stated that Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez would be better served sticking to his best starting lineup for every game.

Rafael Benitez brought in no less than 12 new players to Newcastle United during the summer and in order to give all the players in his squad adequate playing time, the Spaniard has rotated his starting lineup on a consistent basis every week.

Goalkeeper Matz Sels is the only ever-present for Newcastle so far this season and there have been talks that even the Belgian international could be dropped following his horror show against Aston Villa recently.

While the rotation policy has worked well so far for Newcastle, former Sunderland star Don Hutchison is not entirely convinced and has stated his belief that the Magpies’ boss would be better off sticking to his best starting XI for every game.

In his column for the Chronicle, Hutchison wrote, “Rafa Benitez loves to rotate his side and he was at it again on Saturday, making three changes from the previous league game.

“When Chancel Mbemba wasn’t on the bench at Villa Park, many people though he was still struggling with a slight knock. But Rafa said no, he was left out because he thought Jamaal Lascelles and Ciaran Clark would be stronger and better in the air, and Grant Hanley was a better option from the bench.

“As a player, all that rotation can be annoying because it’s hard to get a rhythm and you like to be playing with the same people around you. It’s nice to have a bit of continuity at centre back and in central midfield in particular.

“ersonally I think the best thing Rafa can do is find a central defensive partnership and stick with it, but he’s used four different combinations already. A settled side’s a bit of a nightmare if you’re not in it – and I’ve been there before – but it’s the best way to go.”