Andros Townsend has sent a message to Rafa Benitez after the Spanish coach was sacked by Everton.
Benitez brought the winger to the club as a free agent from Crystal Palace in the summer and has had a positive impact since arriving at Goodison Park.
The pair had previously worked together for a short time at Newcastle in 2016, with the experience leaving a notable impression on Townsend .
Having been reunited with his former manager at Goodison Park, the 30-year-old posted a message on social media on Sunday after it was announced that Benitez had left Everton.
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On Twitter, Townsend posted several photos of himself with the former Blues boss, alongside the caption: “Thank you for everything @rafabenitezweb”.
Despite Everton’s poor run of form, which has seen the team win one of their last 13 league games, the England international has been relatively prolific since arriving at the club.
The ex-Tottenham Hotspur man has scored six goals and provided three assists across 19 games in all competitions, either scoring or creating a goal every 170 minutes on average.
Townsend’s own form under Benitez somewhat mirrors his time at Newcastle with the Spanish coach, where he scored three and assisted two across 10 league games.
Speaking in September , Townsend addressed why his form had improved since signing for Everton: "I’m under a manager now who knows my abilities, who has seen that I can deliver goals, and I think I do have that in me.
"Rafa knew I could play higher, he knew I could deliver around the box, and fortunately I have picked up where I left off under him in those few months at Newcastle.
"I knew what I was capable of at Everton, and knew I wasn’t coming here just to make up the numbers.
“I know I have got a lot more left in me to give and I saw this as a real opportunity to show what I still have in the tank.”
