The time has come for Rafa Benitez to bench Ayoze Perez and Kenedy as the two midfielders have failed to meet expectations.
Rafa Benitez has deployed multiple lineups this season, but each time he has played Ayoze Perez and Kenedy, Newcastle United have not benefited. Last season, Perez and Kenedy were key players for Newcastle as Perez scored eight goals and bagged five assists, while Kenedy dribbled his way through defenders to create scoring opportunities.
This season, however, Perez and Kenedy have somehow transformed into two of the worst players for the Magpies. They are still among the most talented players on the roster, but their form has been dismal, to say the least.
Benitez has given the Spaniard and the Brazilian a few chances to redeem themselves, but their redemption has not come to fruition. With that being said, Perez and Kenedy should drop to the bench until they can prove they are worthy of another start.
Time for Murphy and Muto
If Ayoze Perez and Kenedy are dropped to the bench, who would take over? The primary substitutes that come to mind right away are Jacob Murphy and Yoshinori Muto. This would be a smart move by Benitez for two reasons.
Firstly, it is quite obvious that Murphy and Muto are the best available options to start at this position. One could argue that Atsu should start due to his experience in the Premier League, but Murphy is more talented and athletic. Secondly, Murphy and Muto are both eager to play as they want to prove themselves.
Murphy is out to prove that he has the talent to play in the Premier League and Muto wants to show supporters that he was worth the £9 million transfer fee. It is true that Murphy has been inconsistent as a starter, but when he is in top form he can influence a match and he showed that last season with a beautiful assist against Stoke City and a well-composed goal against Manchester City.
Starting Murphy would come with risks, but his pace and pass-first mentality make him a good winger and team-mate. Muto has not shown much on the offensive end aside from his ability to run past defenders and get into good positions. It will take Muto some time to adjust to English football, but he has sufficient offensive skill to replace Perez as the number ten for a few games against mediocre clubs that are coming up on the schedule.