How Jonjo Shelvey showed his importance to Newcastle United during his FA Cup return

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Newcastle United managed to confirm their place in the FA Cup fourth round for the first time in five years, with their reward being a trip to face Oxford United. There is a good opportunity for the club to go on a cup run and although it won’t be their primary aim this season, it will excite supporters and provide Rafa Benitez with a chance to use his squad. He did so on Wednesday evening as three players made their debuts for the club, all promoted from the U23 squad. There is a belief that the youth system will improve greatly under Benitez and this was the first indication that the Spaniard is looking to give young players an opportunity in the first team.

The stand out performer for the home side on Wednesday was Jonjo Shelvey, who was making his first start of 2017 after a five match suspension. Newcastle have been struggling to be as fluid in his absence and the creativity in the side has severely decreased. The last few weeks have shown how important Shelvey is to the team and this performance only further underlines that. Everything positive went through the English international and his return should provide Newcaste with the momentum to secure their position at the top of the Championship table. On his day, there isn’t a better player in the league and his consistency has improved dramatically under Benitez.

Shelvey possesses excellent vision and has the technical ability to play defence splitting through balls. That was on show on Wednesday night as he had a hand in all three of the goals. The first was a penalty, but it was a superb through ball from Shelvey that set Yoan Gouffran in on goal before he was brought down by the goalkeeper. Meanwhile, the second was another good forward pass, that set up Gouffran once more, although this time he turned and fired the ball into the net.

It was his role in the third goal that emphasised some of the things that he has added to his game this year. He is much fitter and he showed that with his energy to pick up the ball in stoppage time, drive forwards and pick out a cross to find Matt Ritchie. Shelvey is works much harder for the team this season and is more dynamic in the final third. Benitez has given him a freer role and his movement can sometimes be devastating as it was in the build-up to the third goal.

On Wednesday evening, Shelvey was given the captain’s armband and that is a sign of how important he is to this team. He had a run as captain last season under Steve McClaren, but it was the wrong decision at the time. Shelvey was still settling in and didn’t have the respect of the dressing room as a leader. However, this season, he has emerged as Newcastle’s most important player and shown that he is willing to work harder for his team-mates. He is an inspirational figure in the dressing room that others look to on the pitch. Shelvey is relishing in that role and he really is playing the best football of his career.

There are few other English midfielders that possess the ability to control a game like Jonjo Shelvey. He has used his season in the Championship to improve all aspects of his midfield game and he is now playing as well as he ever has done. The influence of working with a world class manager like Benitez is clear and he could be ready to make a claim for an England recall. His main aim will be promotion to the Premier League, but if he continues playing like he did this evening, it will only be a matter of time before he is being mentioned as a possible national team player again.

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