ISLAM SLIMANI has travelled to Spain with the rest of the Newcastle United squad and now the challenge over the next few days is for him and his team-mates to ensure an extended break from Premier League action is not wasted.

Courtesy of Tottenham’s progress in the FA Cup and the up-coming international fortnight, the Magpies will have gone 21 days without competitive football by the time Huddersfield arrive on Tyneside on March 31.

Rafael Benitez has taken his squad to Spain for a four-day training camp which will end with Sunday’s friendly with Royal Antwerp. It remains to be seen whether Slimani will play.

The Algerian, who included in his country’s squad for matches with Tanzania and Iran, is in need of some match time. He was deemed fit enough to travel to Spain after a long-standing thigh problem which has prevented him from playing for Newcastle, and will be monitored over the next few days in Algorfa.

Ayoze Perez, Newcastle’s Spanish forward, said: "It would have been better for us to have a (Premier League) game before the international break, when you can rest a little bit.

"But we have 21 days without football, and this training camp in Spain is a great idea. We're going to play a game that will keep us fit.

“It's not the same as a Premier League, but we have to adapt ourselves and think about doing some great training sessions and being ready for another massive game against Huddersfield.”

Last Saturday’s 3-0 win over Southampton, who have since appointed Mark Hughes as their new manager, has lifted Newcastle five points clear of the relegation zone with eight games remaining.

Perez said: “We knew that it could be before the game, and the focus of the team to be ready was massive. We knew winning would mean three important points, and one step closer, and we did it well.

“It should have given us a lot of confidence. It was 2-0 at the end of the first half and means a lot, and I'm happy to help the team. It's still not over.”

One player who has had an important part to play in Newcastle’s improved fortunes has been defender Paul Dummett. Of the 12 appearances he has made since returning from injury at the end of December, he has only lost three – and those have been to Manchester City, twice, and Liverpool.

His performances have led to new Wales manager Ryan Giggs asking if he would welcome a call for the upcoming China Cup later this month, having made himself unavailable for a World Cup qualifier with Serbia last year.

Dummett has, though, declined again. Giggs said: “I had a conversation with Paul Dummett, because he hasn’t been in the last few squads.

“He just felt that it wasn’t the right time to come back. He wanted concentrate on his Newcastle career, which I have to respect, and we move on. He said that he wanted to concentrate on Newcastle’s relegation fight."