Wijnaldum - "Nothing Is Impossible"

By Tom Easterby - Newcastle United Club Reporter

Georginio Wijnaldum says the arrival of Rafa Benitez has given the squad a welcome lift ahead of Monday night's Barclays Premier League clash at Leicester City (8pm kick-off).

United travel to the King Power Stadium to face the league leaders in Benitez's first game in charge, hoping for a win which would see them climb out of the bottom three.

And while Dutch midfielder Wijnaldum - the Magpies' leading goalscorer with nine this season - is mindful of the threat posed by Claudio Ranieri's table-toppers, he revealed that Newcastle's decorated new manager has been trying to instil belief in his charges as he prepares to send them into battle for the first time.

"Every game is a tricky one. It's going to be a tough game because Leicester is a really good team, they have really good organisation in their team, and they're difficult to beat - but nothing is impossible," the 25-year-old told nufcTV.

"We must have confidence that we can win the game, and I must say that he (Benitez) is also trying to give us the confidence that we can win.

"I think we will have confidence because it's something new. You come with new things and new things to help us, so everyone wants to work and that's good. I think it will give us confidence, but we must see on Monday."

Twenty-four-times-capped Wijnaldum was last week named in the Holland squad to face France and England in friendlies at the end of March.

And, as one of the more experienced members of Benitez's squad, he says that he's as eager to prove himself to his new boss as anyone after the team displayed a "reaction" in their first few training sessions with the former Real Madrid manager.

"You have to prove yourself always, and not just because there is a new trainer. Every training, every match, you have to prove yourself, so that's nothing new for me," said Wijnaldum.

"The first time we met the trainer, Rafa Benitez, was a good one - he gave us a good feeling and it was a good first training.

"You always look forward to working with a coach who has worked for big clubs with a lot of experience.

"He's worked at big clubs so everyone thinks that he can bring us further.

He added: "Everyone trained hard of course. I think there was also a reaction. One trainers gets fired, another one comes and everyone trying to show themselves.

"(There was) also a reaction that we have to work hard, because one trainer was fired because of us and because we didn't get the results that we wanted to, so we have to train hard to get the results that we want to."

You can see the full nufcTV interview with Georginio Wijnaldum here