RAFA BENITEZ has fired the first salvo in the psychological war with Chris Hughton after warning his Brighton side is there to be shot at.

The Newcastle manager cranked-up the mind games with his opposite number after the Magpies surrendered Championship pole position to the in-form Seagulls.

Hughton, who guided the Geordies to the title when they last won promotion from the second tier in 2010, enjoys a two-point advantage over his old club at the halfway stage of the season. While hoping their stay off the summit isn't prolonged, Benitez has turned the spotlight on their upwardly mobile rivals, claiming they now have deal with the added obstacle of teams raising their game against the new top dogs.

Second-place Newcastle could return to the head of affairs with victory at home to Nottingham Forest tonight (FRI) should the South Coast side slip up at the Amex Stadium against Cardiff City.

Benitez expects Neil Warnock's strugglers to go the extra mile in a bid to topple the leaders, who are unbeaten in 17 league games since a 2-0 home defeat to Brentford in September. He said: "We've been in the same situation as Brighton are now when every game is like a cup final for the other team.

"You'd see a team play against someone else, and when they faced us it was like they were a different side because they're playing the top of the table. Teams run that extra mile against you because of that and I think Brighton will find that situation now. Maybe there will be more pressure on them - let's see how teams approach it."

Benitez insists the season won't be a failure if his title favourites earn promotion behind Hughton's side, and the 56-year-old added: "We're not really looking at the table at this stage, but to be honest I wouldn't have a problem with that. I'd take the table as it is now at the end of the season. Teams will see it as a chance to show what they can do when they play Brighton - just like we've had to deal with when we've been top."

The Spaniard claims that his side aren't hindered by the expectations of supporters when they play at home will be put to the test as Newcastle aim to avenge a controversial 2-1 defeat at the City Ground at the start of the month.

Despite boasting the best away record in the division with an impressive nine victories on the road, concerns have been raised about their form at St James' Park. The 1-0 Boxing Day defeat to Sheffield Wednesday was their fourth of the campaign, meaning that no other side in the top 10 has been beaten on home soil more.

Newcastle will be backed by another sell-out 52,000 crowd as they attempt to make amends for a defeat in the East Midlands that saw them end the game with nine men after red cards for Jonjo Shelvey and Paul Dummett, which were both later rescinded, as keeper Karl Darlow ended on the losing side despite saving two penalties against his former club.

"Our home form isn't a concern," Benitez added. "It helps that we've been so good away, and I'd like to have that same form at home because we'd be 10 points clear if we had, and you want to give your fans something more so we have to be sure that we improve.

"We've shown what we can do to teams if we score early at home, but if that doesn't happen you have more anxiety and we have to learn to cope with that by managing the game better and not giving other teams a hope they can score."

Benitez remains hopeful of bringing in Chelsea's England Under-21 midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek on loan for the rest of the season, but reiterated his intention not to sell Aleksandar Mitrovic, the 22-year-old forward who has been linked with a move away from St James' Park after failing to hold down a regular place so far this season.

"We're not thinking about selling any of those players who are not playing," the 56-year-old added. "We have one name (that could go) and that is Cheick Tiote. I can't say 100 per cent that I will not sell anyone else, because you never know, but at the moment we're not thinking about selling.

"I've spoken to Mitro today and he's fine. He understands the situation, he realises that Dwight Gayle is scoring goals and it's very difficult to get in the side at present."