Newcastle a more ‘united’ city and club under new regime, says captain Lascelles

NEWCASTLE: Skipper Jamaal Lascelles has admitted keeping Newcastle “united” is a much easier job now than it was under Mike Ashley and Steve Bruce.

Since the PIF majority buyout, Newcastle, as a city and as a football club, has been transformed, according to Lascelles — and the club captain said that had made his job much simpler when it comes to dressing room unity.

Lascelles has worn the United armband since 2016 and, while he does not find himself an automatic pick in the Newcastle line-up these days, he’s a valued member of the first-team group under head coach Eddie Howe.

The central defender has seen relegation and promotion, highs and lows, managerial and regime change at St James’ Park in his time as captain, but never has he seen so many leaders wearing black and white.

“There is a big mentality shift in terms of what we want. We go into every game now wanting the three points, even when we go down to Chelsea, we aren’t going there to sit back and hope to get a draw. We go there to win the game.

“That comes from the manager and it comes from the players the manager has signed.

“That’s been the quickest thing I’ve had to adapt to and it’s the most obvious thing all the players who have been here for a while have had to adjust to as well.

“We are not here just to survive anymore. We have a winner’s mentality, the club is ambitious and we are part of that. You can see that in the way we play.”

The January signings of the likes of Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn, in particular, have really added to the leadership group in the camp.

This summer is likely to see more of the “right characters” added when the transfer window opens up, a far cry from the stellar names, often overpriced and slightly past it, linked