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Sep 16, 2017 at 3pm UK
 
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2-1

Atsu (19'), Lascelles (68')
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Shaqiri (57')

Rafael Benitez: 'League position means nothing'

Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez insists that it is too early to look at the Premier League table despite seeing his side climb up to fourth by beating Stoke City.

Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez has played down the significance of his side's lofty league position after five games of the season.

Jamaal Lascelles was the match-winner for the second game running as his second-half header helped the Magpies to a 2-1 triumph over Stoke City - their third league victory on the bounce.

Benitez's side now sit fourth in the Premier League table as a result, but he stressed that it is far too early to be discussing league position.

"I haven't seen the table and I don't want to see the table, believe me. I said one game at a time and now it's just to be sure that the fans enjoy it," he told reporters.

"They can enjoy it, we have to enjoy it, but we have to be sure that the next training session, we start correcting things and improving things and doing things in the way we are doing things at the moment. That's our responsibility.

"The main thing is that, the togetherness, the work-rate, the character, the whole team, the connection with the fans because the fans appreciate that. I put in the programme notes that this is something that's really important, players who want to stay, want to fight, want to defend the black and white shirt, and they are doing that.

"The fans, they appreciate that and for us to do that every week and the captain leading by example is something that you have to be really pleased with."

Newcastle take on Brighton & Hove Albion in their next league game looking to make it four top-flight wins on the bounce for the first time since November 2014.

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1Liverpool15113131131836
2Chelsea16104237191834
3Arsenal1686229151430
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest168442119228
5Manchester CityMan City168352823527
6Bournemouth167452421325
7Aston Villa167452425-125
8Fulham166642422224
9Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton166642625124
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1672736191723
11Brentford167273230223
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle166552321223
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd166462119222
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham165472129-819
15Crystal Palace163761721-416
16Everton153661421-715
17Leicester CityLeicester163582134-1314
18Ipswich TownIpswich162681628-1212
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1623112440-169
20Southampton1612131136-255


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