Mind games don't win matches - Rafa Benitez

Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez says he does not miss the mind games as he prepares to lock horns with Jose Mourinho once again.

As he awaits Manchester United boss Mourinho's arrival at St James' Park on Sunday, Newcastle counterpart Benitez insists all the talk off the pitch is largely irrelevant.

He said: "For you the media, the mind games are more important. For me, it was preparation of the games. I was not worried about the mind games, I was worried about my team. If you say something and the other manager says something and you win the game, the assumption is that you are winning the mind games. No, sometimes your team is better or the other is better and that is it. Even making mistakes or losing the mind games, you can win the game. It is like this."