Benitez admits Newcastle needed to create more

Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez. Picture by Phil Westlake (PW Sporting Photography)

Rafa Benitez admitted Newcastle did not play as well as he wanted but felt Mathew Ryan was the busier keeper in today's 0-0 draw at St James' Park.

Ryan made excellent second half saves to deny Mikel Merino and Dwight Gayle as Albion remained three points above Newcastle in the Premier League table.

Benitez said: "We didn't play as well as I wanted but at the same time we pushed in the second half harder and their keeper was busier than our keeper.

"He made a couple of good saves but still we have to create more if we want to take three points from these kind of games.

"Anxiety is coming because we have a young team and not too many players have experience of the Premier League.

"They will have to cope with this pressure of being at the bottom of the table. It is tough, it is difficult and we have to learn and we have to improve.

"It's important to have a clean sheet, that means the team has defended well. They didn't have any clear chances, which means we have done something right but we have to score and we have to win games."

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Match report: Newcastle 0, Brighton 0