Rafael Benitez tells Newcastle fans to prepare for the worst run of form

Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez has warned Newcastle fans things could get worse before they get better as the January transfer window looms on the horizon with takeover talk rumbling on.

The Toon Army had been hoping for progress in Amanda Staveley's attempts, on behalf of PCP Capital Partners, to buy the club from current owner Mike Ashley, and in turn, inject the kind of cash the sportswear magnate had been unable to provide recently. However, with no takeover yet at St James' Park, Benitez knows he could be subjected to a third successive frustrating transfer window which would leave him still relying on a group of players who have come in for criticism after four straight league defeats.

He said “To criticise our players is not fair because our players are giving everything. You can be better or worse, you can miss a chance or you can score an own goal, whatever, but if they give everything, me as a manager, I am happy with that and the fans have to be happy. If we can bring in better players in the future, okay, fine, good. Competition is good. But in January, it could be even worse, so we have to stick together and be sure that until the end of the season, we maximise what we have. That's it. On September 1, we knew it could be like this. We were surprised when the team was top six, top eight. The reality is that we have a team which has to compete at the bottom of the table. I have the hope and the belief that we will stay ahead of the bottom three. I have this belief, there is no question about that. But the reality is the reality. Our fans - who have been amazing home and away - they know and they knew. The problem is that we were doing so well at the beginning that maybe they thought we could do even better.”