- Newcastle United travel to Brighton on Sunday looking for a fourth straight win
- The Magpies are in fine form and have shot up into the Premier League’s top four
- But manager Rafa Benitez has urged his players to be wary of recent praise
- He believes praise can lead to complacency which could undo their hard work
After three straight wins over West Ham, Swansea and Stoke, which have carried Newcastle United to fourth in the Premier League following May’s promotion, Rafa Benitez is able to speak of momentum at the club.
He has also stressed to his players the dangers of the praise coming their way.
With two winning headers in the last two games, Jamaal Lascelles epitomises both aspects and Benitez pulled his captain aside this week to remind him of this.
Manager Rafa Benitez has warned his in-form Newcastle United players to be wary of praise
Newcastle have won three Premier League games in a row, with Jamaal Lascelles scoring twice
‘I did it with him, but I’ve done this with some other players,’ Benitez said.
‘When you are doing really well, I say to them it’s important to concentrate on their jobs. I have years of experience. It’s the most difficult thing.
‘You are doing well and everyone is praising you, sometimes if you are young you lose your focus. It’s to remind them that this is the way to continue being praised.
‘Lascelles is happy with this approach. It’s quite easy for me to tell him, “You have to keep working hard”, because he was doing it anyway.
‘We’re trying to improve other things in his game, but in terms of his mentality and character he’s fine.’
Lascelles is part of the team who return to Brighton on Sunday, where they won a crucial Championship match in February.
Newcastle then pipped Brighton to the title but Benitez said: ‘Last year was last year. Everything is different.’
Benitez has urged Lascelles to stay level-headed. He said: ‘If you are young you lose your focus’