Benitez’s comments suggest Shelvey’s Newcastle exile is set to continue

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Rafa Benitez has admitted that Jonjo Shelvey will find it difficult to force his way back into the Newcastle United team, as per the Daily Mirror.

Shelvey has been unable to even get on the bench in the last two matches – which Newcastle have both won – as Issac Hayden and Sean Longstaff have played and performed impressively.

Benitez said: “Obviously Jonjo will need to improve his match fitness but the only way to do that is by playing and it is not easy at the moment.

“We have 24 players and the 11 starters are doing well. You can change one or two but still they are doing well so that’s seven on the bench and you still leave six players on the outside. It’s quite difficult.”

Hayden and particularly Longstaff have been playing well of late and it is promising to hear Benitez is willing to keep more experienced names – such as Shelvey – out of the side to enable the English duo to carry on shining.

What has been noticeable about Newcastle’s play of late is how short and sharp their passing is; they are playing a flowing style now, without Shelvey’s constant desire to play Hollywood passes.

Shelvey’s maverick, ill-disciplined style was always at odds with the stringent demands Benitez puts on his players and now he has found a duo who are more dynamic and work harder then Shelvey, it’s hardly a surprise the former Swansea man finds himself in the wilderness.