Magpies Legend Alan Shearer Believes His Former Side Newcastle Will Avoid Relegation This Season

Former Newcastle manager and player Alan Shearer is confident the club can avoid the drop this season.

Since returning to the top flight, the Magpies have enjoyed a steady start to the season and grabbed an impressive point against Liverpool before the international break. They currently sit in 9th place after seven games, and are just three points off the top four.

With club captain Jamaal Lascelles signing a new contract until 2023, their positive start to the season looks set to continue.

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Alan Shearer, who remains the club's top scorer with 206 goals, has praised Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez, saying he is the reason why the club will remain in the Premier League this season.

“I don’t think they’ll be relegated because of him (Benitez),” Shearer told the True Geordie’s Youtube channel. 

“Because of his experience, because of the way they work, their set up and being hard to beat.

“He has got a bunch of players that are willing to listen and willing to work hard. If you work hard at Newcastle you’ll get on, that’s all the fans ask.”

After a public dispute with owner Mike Ashley about transfer policy in the summer, fans and players alike feared the Spaniard would exit the club, but he has proven integral in their impressive start to the season, as Shearer highlighted. 

Although he was unable to bring in the players he wanted during the summer window, Benitez has made do with the core of players who won promotion last season, and they have excelled so far this term.

Newcastle face a long trip to the south coast to face 12th placed Southampton on Sunday as the Premier League commences once again following the conclusion of the international break.