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Rafa Benitez in shock after Blackburn loss as Newcastle fall behind Brighton in title race
RAFA BENITEZ was shocked to see Newcastle fall to a second defeat to Blackburn this season after a dominating display at Ewood Park.
Rafa Benitez shocked to leave Ewood Park without a win
Newcastle have now lost two of their last three games and have been replaced at the top of the Championship by Brighton, who are two points clear and have a game in hand.
The visitors dominated and had two goals disallowed at Ewood Park before Charlie Mulgrew scored Blackburn's winner with a free-kick on 74 minutes.
And Magpies manager Benitez was at a loss to explain how his side came out of the game without anything to show for their dominance.
Charlie Mulgrew scored Blackburn's winner
The Spaniard said: "The stats in the first half, the chances and the possession were in our favour and it's difficult to explain.
"What we had to do is keep doing the same things in the second half and we started with two goals disallowed and the same control.
"We lost maybe, for five minutes, control of the game, and conceded the goal.
"They put a lot of bodies in the box and it's not easy to find space, but it's difficult to explain. How can you not even draw, and lose this game? It's incredible.
Newcastle dominated against Blackburn
"For me, to see the team playing so well and not winning the game is difficult to understand.
"But we have to carry on trying to play in the same way, trying to create as many chances as today and trying to take our chances.
"The only thing we didn't do is to score when we had a lot of chances, especially in the first half. If we continue playing like this, we will win games."