Jonjo Shelvey has been ordered to play as an over-age player in Newcastle ’s U23 squad against Norwich on Monday night.

Shelvey was suspended for three Premier League games but not recalled to the line up at Swansea because of Mikel Merino’s form.

Meanwhile, Matt Ritchie has admitted Newcastle need Rafa Benitez’s “presence” back on the training ground.

The United boss has been absent for a week after an operation.

Benitez has spoken to players by phone including skipper Jamaal Lascelles, and set the drills and tactics for the win at Swansea from his sick bed at home.

However Ritchie says it is not the same without Benitez cajoling and organising his stars in person.

Shelvey appeared to stand on Alli during the game (
Image:
REUTERS)
Jamaal Lascelles put in a storming performance to earn Newcastle three points (
Image:
PA Wire)

Benitez was advised to rest of at least a week and is expected to return to work later this week ahead of the visit of Stoke City to St James’s Park.

Ritchie said: “Obviously, the gaffer has a presence, so I’d be lying if I said it was exactly the same. It wasn’t.

“The manager’s the manager at the end of the day and there is a different feeling about it.

“But, you have to continue. We have a young, professional group who want to achieve things.

“The bigger picture is to stay in the Premier League, and that was at the front of our minds.

“It was a massive game, against Swansea, and I’m delighted we won, but you can’t get carried away.

Matt Ritchie admits the Toon need Rafa back (
Image:
Action Images via Reuters)
Shelvey faces an uncertain future (
Image:
AFP)

“We’ve got six points but we need a fair few more yet. We’ll certainly not be taking our foot off the gas. We need to continue to get better and improve.

“We’ve worked throughout the week, on being compact – as always – and I think today it kept us in the game in the first half. In the second half, we were able to be a bit more counter-attacking.

“We soaked up the pressure and got up the pitch a few times, and had the final pass been a bit better we maybe could have created a few more chances.

“I don’t think there was a lot between the teams, if I’m honest. In the Premier League, it only takes a second for something to happen, but throughout we had a really good shape about us, and a really good mentality to the way we wanted to play.”

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