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Premier League | Gameweek 29
Mar 2, 2019 at 5.30pm UK
 
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Rafael Benitez calls for Newcastle to stay calm despite back-to-back wins

Rafael Benitez calls for Newcastle to stay calm despite back-to-back wins
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The Magpies head for West Ham on Saturday looking for a third successive win.

Rafael Benitez has told Newcastle to continue fighting for Premier League points as if they will still need something at Fulham on the final day of the season to clinch survival.

Back-to-back victories over Huddersfield and Burnley in the last week have eased the Magpies six points clear of the relegation zone and raised hopes they can match last season's top-10 finish.

However, Benitez knows there is still plenty of work to be done before they are sure of a third straight top-flight campaign, starting at West Ham on Saturday evening.

He said: "Three or four weeks ago we were thinking it would be very, very difficult, now we are starting to talk about, 'Maybe you can finish 10th.

"It is, for me, very clear – we have to stay calm, we have to go there, try to get three points and if we can, fine, if we cannot, carry on.

"I have said in a lot of interviews that the Fulham game, the last one of the season, will be the most important – hopefully not, but we have to make sure that we continue doing things in the same way that we are doing already."

Tuesday night's 2-0 win over the Clarets left Newcastle on 31 points with 10 games remaining and five behind the Hammers in 10th.

It further increased the feelgood factor on Tyneside in a season which had previously been shrouded in uncertainty and discontent, threatening to put smiles back on the faces of fans thrilled by academy graduate Sean Longstaff's emergence and the arrival of new signing Miguel Almiron, as well as recent results.

Longstaff's contribution has been outstanding, to the extent that he has been nominated for the Premier League Player of the Month award for February alongside Sergio Aguero, Paul Pogba, Virgil Van Dijk, Luke Shaw and Sadio Mane.

Benitez said: "To be fair, I didn't know who was nominated and I think he has to win because when you compare the other players with him, it's a big, big credit to him to be there."

However, the main topic of discussion on Tyneside continues to be the Spaniard's own future with his contract due to expire at the end of the campaign, although he once again refused to be drawn on the subject.

Asked if he understood the anxiety of supporters, Benitez said: "Yes, I understand 100 per cent, but at the same time I think my idea is to be sure that the team is focused on football and if we can get the results, after we can talk about everything."

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1Liverpool14112129111835
2Chelsea1594235181731
3Arsenal1585229151429
4Manchester CityMan City158342721627
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest157441918125
6Aston Villa157442323025
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton156632522324
8Bournemouth157352320324
9Brentford157263128323
10Fulham156542220223
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1562731191220
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle155551921-220
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd155461918119
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham155372028-818
15Everton143561421-714
16Leicester CityLeicester153572130-914
17Crystal Palace152761420-613
18Ipswich TownIpswich151681427-139
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1523102338-159
20Southampton1512121131-205


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