Rondon proves exactly why Benitez wanted him with complete performance

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Salomon Rondon has had his critics since sealing a loan move from West Brom to Newcastle.

But his performance against Bournemouth yesterday silenced some doubters and proved why Rafa Benitez was so intent on bringing him in.

Many questioned the decision to sell Aleksandr Mitrovic and replace him with Rondon.

With just 28 goals in 119 games for West Brom, fans were understandably unconvinced by his goal scoring track record.

But Rondon showed exactly why Benitez wanted a man of his build in the number 9 role this season.

The 6ft 1in powerhouse was a handful for defenders all afternoon and he was the perfect central figure to base attacks around.

Rondon is renowned for his strength and he used that to his advantage with hold-up play and aerial dominance.

The Venezuela international is still not at full fitness. But having seen his potential, Newcastle fans will be looking forward to seeing this level of performance on a more regular basis.

If Rondon can bring others into the game and get on the score sheet himself, then he could earn himself a permanent move to St James’ Park.

Benitez is clearly a big fan of Rondon and now he needs to add consistency to his game to justify his manager’s faith.