Newcastle United coach Rafael Benítez finally broke the silence after a humiliating 4-1 defeat at Manchester United in Premier League on Saturday, saying his current focus is on ‘improving his players’.
“I am concentrated on trying to improve my players,” Benítez said in a press conference on Monday.
The 57-year-old Spanish football coach also commented on Paul Pogba, who scored in the 54th minute after returning from an injury. With Pogba acclaiming praise worldwide for his skills, many soccer pundits have compared him with Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard.
Benítez, however, didn’t hesitate to share his views, saying Pogba is nowhere near to the level of Gerrard.
“They’re different. Stevie was a top-class player for so many years. He was very consistent and could make the difference in every game, with or without the ball,” the former Liverpool manager said.
Benítez believes despite being an impressive footballer, Pogba needs consistency for 10-15 years if he wants to claim a status like Gerrard.
“He was a top-class player. Pogba is a great player, but he still has to be consistent for years like Stevie was for 10 or 15 years. Pogba is not my player, so I don’t need to talk too much about him. He’s a great player, like the majority of the Manchester United players,” he added.