NEWCASTLE UNITED’S players have cancelled their Christmas party because they do not regard the club’s dreadful recent run as something worth celebrating.

The Magpies squad had been due to remain in London after this afternoon’s Premier League game at Arsenal, with Rafael Benitez having given them permission to spend the evening socialising.

However, a delegation of senior players led by skipper Jamaal Lascelles discussed the situation with their manager and decided to shelve plans for a party until the club’s position in the table improves.

Newcastle are just one point clear of the relegation zone ahead of today’s game at the Emirates, having won just one of their last 12 matches.

“Normally, we (Benitez and his coaching team) do not do it (have a party), and the players have also decided to cancel their Christmas party because they have taken responsibility and they think it’s important to have the right focus,” said Benitez. “They have cancelled.

“They want to give a very clear message that they care, and they want to do things right. On the pitch, you can win or not, but they realise they have to be focused on doing things right.

“There was no pressure from me. I was asking four or five players about it, and they were very clear: ‘Oh no, we cannot’, and that was it. They talked between themselves and decided.

“I think it’s the right thing. Obviously, if you are asking me, this group of players are working so hard so I could not have said to them, ‘You do not deserve to do this or that’. They are giving everything, but they have decided this, and I think that’s very positive.”

Benitez met Lee Charnley in the wake of Wednesday’s home defeat to Everton to discuss next month’s transfer window, although he is still to receive a final guarantee of his budget with takeover talks ongoing.

Amanda Staveley’s latest £300m offer is understood to have included an indication that PCP Capital Partners are willing to commit around £30m next month, even if the formalities of the takeover process are not concluded before the transfer window closed, and Benitez is clearly desperate to make at least two or three additions at the turn of the year. A new centre-forward remains a priority, along with signings in both full-back positions.

“I have an idea,” said Benitez. “I express my idea, and Lee knows what I think. We have to do the best for the team now, and what’s best for the team is best for the club, that’s it.

“We have some names, we have quite a lot, but that’s normal because sometimes the clubs do not want to sell, or they do not want to come. But now we have to start to see what we can afford because we need this, we need that. We need something, experience or something different, and we know that.

“We have to try to bring the best players possible for us now. That means if you have a player on loan, who is quite good, then we have to do it. There are not too many options with Premier League experience, with the maximum level and right personality, so it is not easy, but you have to do your research everywhere.”

Paul Dummett returns to the Newcastle squad this afternoon after recovering from injury, but Aleksandar Mitrovic is unavailable after suffering a back problem.