Passion and determination guided Newcastle United to final victory

Newcastle United’s win against Chelsea this past weekend undoubtedly left an impression on Rafa Benitez.

Newcastle United and manager Rafa Benitez enjoyed a day to remember on Sunday, completing the 2017-18 Premier League season with a resounding 3-0 victory against Chelsea. The result ensured that the Magpies would finish in the top ten, and was truly produced by passion throughout everyone involved with the club.

It was an afternoon that almost felt scripted, as so many things went perfectly for the Toon. Benitez had the proper tactics in place, and the players were truly motivated for the occasion (it didn’t hurt that Chelsea looked completely unaware that there was a game). However, there was a significant amount of energy from the home supporters also, and they definitely provided the squad with a boost.

Nervous energy is in the air on Tyneside, as Benitez’s future has not been clarified. The Toon Army may have felt that they needed something special to show their manager what this all means to them, and Wor Flags succeeded with an amazing display prior to kick-off.

Some suggested that a win in the final game versus the Blues would help to show the Spanish tactician why he should stay.

There are not many sides that could boast the incredible loyalty and support of Newcastle. However, I was one who felt that it would ultimately not make a difference.

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Benitez knows what he gets with his current position, and one match would not change his mind (if he indeed knows his next step). But I was very wrong.

A moment to remember

Both during and after the win, St. James’ Park was vocal in their appreciation for everything that the 58-year-old coach has accomplished.

This was the type of emotion that was impossible to ignore, and fans will hope that it was something that the manager thinks about when considering his options ahead.

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Newcastle United and Rafa Benitez have had an incredible journey together. After such thrilling scenes on Sunday, one would think that they absolutely must continue to build the team into a contender.