Newcastle Skipper Jamaal Lascelles Claims Boss Rafa Benitez Wants FA Cup Crown

Newcastle captain Jamaal Lascelles claims Rafa Benitez has the bit between his teeth and has set his sights on FA Cup glory after the Magpies' 3-1 win over Luton Town on Saturday.

The Spaniard named a strong starting XI for the clash, with the only debutant coming in the form of goalkeeper Freddie Woodman and it paid off as Newcastle ran out comfortable victors on the day with a brace from Ayoze Perez and a rare goal for Jonjo Shelvey.

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Speaking after the game, the brawny defender said (via the Shields Gazette): "A lot of times you see managers pick lesser teams in the cups, but our manager named a strong one. He said to me before the game that we want to go out there and win and see how far we can get.

"We’re in a position where we do need to focus on the Premier League, but we knew we had a good chance [against Luton]. We want to see how far we can get in the cup without taking our eye off the league for one minute.

"Obviously, you fancy your chances more in the cup the longer you’re in it. Your preparation has got to be the same whether it’s your first game in the cup or the final."

When questioned about his views on the historic competition and his outfit's chances, Lascelles revealed: "That would be a dream come true for me.

"I lifted the Championship trophy last season, and would love to lift the cup, but it’ll be tough. A lot of teams want to win it and will fancy their chances, but you never know."