JAMAAL Lascelles has revealed how a dressing room WhatsApp group was a hub for celebrations on Thursday night when Newcastle United’s promotion drive got a timely boost without even kicking a ball.

While the Magpies’ players had their feet up at home, third place Reading suffered a defeat to Queens Park Rangers in their game in hand and that has left Rafa Benitez’s men with a comfortable six point cushion in the second promotion place.

That prompted Lascelles, the Newcastle skipper, to post a few messages in the social messaging app WhatsApp, where the entire squad are all members of the group ahead of this afternoon’s trip to Brentford.

Lascelles said: “We have beaten Brentford before and we have to do it again. I was screaming at the TV on Thursday. Shouting: ‘defend, defend.’ We can't control what these teams around us do but if they are dropping points it is in our favour and I was happy with that result.

“I am sitting there in my front room watching it and texting the lads in WhatsApp. I always watch the other teams. I was just saying ‘good result’ to get our minds on stretching our lead. We want the others to be losing.

“We can't focus on others. We have to do our own jobs. We set our standards high. We are not satisfied. We want to be top and we want a gap. We know what to do to get there and have to do the work to get there.”

It will be hoped on Tyneside that Reading’s defeat has given Newcastle’s players a lift when they head out onto the pitch at Griffin Park too. Newcastle have lost four out of their last eight matches in the Championship and failed to see off Birmingham City in the FA Cup last weekend so are set for a replay on Wednesday.

Lascelles said: “I think positive. I go into games thinking we will win without being complacent or arrogant. I know my players and the manager, and we have a team of winners and people who give their all.

“The defeats we have had we have not been the worst team. Blackburn we played them off the park until they got the goal. There is nothing to worry about.”

Having played 28 times this season when others have been left out, he knows he has Benitez’s faith to lead Newcastle to better results again in the race to the Premier League.

The confident centre-back said: “I am always in his office. He calls me in, passes messages to the players, talks about what we can do in games and training. He is an easy person to speak to. He can have a laugh but knows the time to work.

“If someone isn't pulling their weight he will stop training and say you should have done this. He puts things in your head to think about. He is the best manager I have had.

“The modern captain leads by example rather than the dirty work of talking to players and digging them out, but if you have a balance and can do both it is ideal. Earning the respect of players is hard. I am 23.

“Telling Daryl Murphy and Matt Ritchie who have been there and done it, what to do, shouting at them, I am pretty sure when I am 30 I won't have a 23 year old talking to me like that! Sometimes I think I wouldn't have it, but it is just the person you are.”