In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Steve Howey, who made 193 Premier League appearances during his career, believes the one difference between Newcastle United under Steve Bruce and Rafa Benitez is the Spaniard had Salomon Rondon and Ayoze Perez.
Rondon spent the one season on-loan at Newcastle but did strike up a great partnership with Perez – between them they netted 23 goals during the 2018/19 season.
Which strikers would you rather have?
Wilson!
Rondon and Perez!
The Magpies now have Callum Wilson, Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron to get the goals, however, with the trio out injured it’s become a struggle for Bruce to find an adequate replacement.
Bruce brought in Wilson last summer who currently has 10 goals making him the club’s top scorer this season, but Howey claims despite poor performances, the fact Benitez had two strikers helped him get results.
Speaking on the situation in front of goal for Newcastle and how Benitez could call upon Perez and Rondon during his time on Tyneside, Howey exclusively told FFC:
“Everybody talks about Rafa and rightly so because he did a great job, but at times the team was awful and they did have awful performances.
“He had two strikers in Perez and Rondon. Obviously, we brought in Wilson which was massive and I was really pleased with him as I’ve always liked him.
“I’m not being disrespectful to Gayle or Carroll but, where are the goals going to come from?”
Wilson has become someone Bruce relies on heavily since he signed the former Bournemouth striker for £20 million last summer.
Newcastle are fighting to stay in the Premier League as they sit just one point and two places above the relegation zone so, Bruce will be hoping his talisman can return to action sooner rather than later.