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Ben Arfa: 'We Can Enjoy Week After Win'
Written by Newcastle Utd
Saturday's matchwinner Hatem Ben Arfa believes there will be a good atmosphere at the training ground during the international break
By Dan King - Newcastle United Digital Editor
Newcastle's players will have a spring in their step in training throughout the international break after their win over Fulham, Hatem Ben Arfa believes.
The Frenchman's late goal gave United their first three points of the campaign ahead of a blank weekend in the Barclays Premier League and, after a day off on Monday, the Magpies players who haven't been called up for their countries returned to training on Tuesday.
After losing to Manchester City on the opening weekend of the campaign and being held to a draw by West Ham, Ben Arfa admitted that it could have been a tough few days had Newcastle failed to beat the Cottagers on Saturday - but instead, Alan Pardew's side can enjoy the next few days at the training ground.
"Now we have two weeks and we can work very hard, with confidence, with serenity," Ben Arfa told nufcTV.
"If we'd drawn 0-0, I think we'd have not been sleeping because it would have been very frustrating. But everybody in Newcastle is very happy because everybody waited for a win - and we won."
Ben Arfa's goal came in the 86th minute and left Cottagers keeper David Stockdale with no chance as it flew past him in a flash.
And the 26-year-old revealed: "I'm very happy because I worked hard in the week on my shooting.
"Against West Ham, every ball went into the sky. But I repeat, repeat, repeat and when you work, you see the results."
He dedicated his first strike of the season to the fans, who stayed behind the team throughout the 90 minutes.
"They support us to keep going, keep going," he said. "They come to support us when we win, when we lose, and that is a big thing for the team.
"If you don't have a crowd like that, maybe you don't win. I think we wouldn't have won because they push and make pressure for the other team and give more power for us.
"It's very important; very, very important - more than you would believe."
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