MOUSSA Sissoko is set to retain the captain's armband as Newcastle look to take their latest step towards Premier League safety.

Rafa Benitez's side host Manchester City on Tuesday knowing victory will lift them out of the drop zone for the first time in more than two months.

Sissoko led by example after taking over as skipper from the axed Jonjo Shelvey in the 3-0 victory over Swansea City, the French midfielder scoring for the first time in 11 months to boost the second-bottom Tynesiders' bid to stave-off a second relegation in seven years.

Club captain Fabricio Coloccini (calf) and Daryl Janmaat (groin) remain sidelined, and although Benitez refused to confirm who will lead the team out as St James' Park, Sissoko is expected to get the nod.

Benitez said: "To be fair, I don't yet (about the captaincy). I still have to think about Shelvey, so everyone can enjoy guessing for the next 24 hours.

"Sissoko is an influential player in the dressing room, his stats after each game are normally among the best. Hopefully he can keep his level and the others can follow him.

"I chose him as captain for the way he conducts himself every day, for the way he listens, he learns and because the other players look up to him."

Newcastle will leapfrog Norwich and Sunderland to climb out of the bottom three if they record back-to-back wins for the first time since December against a Manchester City side who have hit form going into next week's Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.

City's top scorer Sergio Aguero took his goal tally to 26 with a hat-trick in the 3-0 victory over Chelsea at the weekend, but Benitez has warned his players they can't solely concentrate on the threat posed by the prolific Agrentinian.

The Spaniard added: "They have so many good players you can't just be worried about Sergio Aguero or Kevin de Bruyne. They have threats all over the field.

"But we know that if we play like we did against Swansea we can beat anyone."