Troubled Newcastle turn focus to Rafael Benitez

Steve McClaren’s ill-fated reign as Newcastle’s head coach finally appeared to be drawing to a close as the club closed in on potential successor Rafael Benitez.

A grim-faced McClaren left the club’s Darsley Park training headquarters yesterday after working with his players for a third successive day following a deeply damaging 3-1 home defeat by Bournemouth on Saturday.

Perhaps significantly, he departed shortly after 2pm, some two hours earlier than he had exited on Tuesday and Wednesday.