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Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez and Jamaal Lascelles held a positive conversation BEFORE today’s game with Chelsea.

The Toon skipper missed the clash with the Blues due to an ankle injury but is expected back within a week.

There had been talk of a bust-up in the build-up to the 2-1 defeat against the Blues , but it has emerged that nothing more than training ground dialogue about a change in tactics took place between Lascelles and the former Liverpool boss.

After the game, Benitez said: “All my life, I’ve liked to talk with players, so I talk with players, we decide what to do and then we stick with the plan, so everybody knows that.

“If any player has different opinions, they can give their opinions and after we have to stick with the plan, that’s it.”

Benitez is understood to have had a brief chat with Lascelles before the game at St James’ Park and there is not expected to by any further fallout from the situation.

The Toon chief also stated Lascelles’ injury was only one of a number of issues he had to work through before the game .

He said: “We had six players out of the team. Lejeune, Manquillo, Jamaal and Jonjo were injured, Kenedy couldn’t play obviously and Hayden was suspended and for us, it’s something that we have to consider.

“For a team like us to lose six players is always a problem. Manquillo and Jamaal have ankle problems and Shelvey has a thigh problem. I think they will be fine.

“Jonjo maybe will need a couple of weeks; Jamaal, Manquillo, hopefully they can be fine for the next game.”