Newcastle punch up pair make peace

Senegal international Diame and Newcastle’s combative English captain Lascelles came to blows during a recent training session.

The tiff ended with Magpies midfielder Jonjo Shelvey suffering a broken finger as the man many see as a firebrand tried to play peace-maker.

Benitez didn’t take action against the players as Diame and Lascelles quickly made their peace before Diame suggested the warring duo could take the rest of the team to lunch as a way to restore morale.

“To be fair, it was a surprise. It was part of a small training game and there was a fight. Jonjo was in the middle so he was making peace and everything was fine,” Benitez told reporters on Friday.

“After the incident, they apologised to each other. Maybe they will buy lunch for everyone – it was Mo’s idea to take the team out to lunch. I don’t know when or how they will do it.”

Benitez, whose Premier League side travel to Southampton on Sunday, added: “I have seen worse than that over the years.

“It is nothing, there are lots worse than that. Later on they were fine, and they have been training fine without anything special since.”