Soccer-Manager Benitez rues Newcastle's lack of experience

Feb 26 (Reuters) - Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez bemoaned the lack of experience in his young squad as the club battle for Premier League survival.

The league's second youngest team let a two-goal lead slip in the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth last weekend to drop back into the relegation scrap and are just two points above 18th-placed Swansea City.

The Spanish boss said his team needed more experience to help them through tough situations.

"You have to keep going until the game ends but you have to stay calm and make the right decisions," Benitez told British media.

"This is what can happen when you play at this level against very good players. Our team is a young team and we need a bit more experience to manage situations like this.

"We have a situation where we are creating chances but missing a little bit this experience or quality."

The draw was a sobering experience after Newcastle's shock 1-0 win over Manchester United earlier this month and Benitez will be eager for his side to bounce back when they travel to Liverpool on Saturday. (Reporting by Aditi Prakash in Bengaluru; Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)