NEWCASTLE UNITED manager Rafael Benitez has admitted his side must learn to manage their anxiety as they head into a defining week in the Championship promotion race.

The Magpies suffered a set-back in their quest for the title when lowly Bristol City held them to a 2-2 draw at St James’ Park on Saturday.

Brighton took full advantage and returned to the top of the table with a triumphant win over fellow promotion contenders Reading, and the Magpies were lucky their result didn’t prove even more costly when third-placed Huddersfield were also held by Barnsley.

A five point cushion separates Newcastle and Huddersfield going into a week that sees the Tynesiders travel to Brighton, the Terriers and Reading and one thing is certain: the Magpies can’t afford to make the mistakes they did on Saturday again.

For much of this season, Benitez’s men have looked uneasy playing at home and the Newcastle manager admits there was an air of anxiety that needs to be addressed within his squad.

After Aaron Wilbraham found himself in space to head Bristol City in front on Saturday, the Magpies were all over the place and that nervousness led to the Robins’ second when Paul Dummett and Karl Darlow were involved in a calamitous mix-up.

“You don’t expect a team that is successful, focused prepared and training well to make these mistakes,” Benitez said. “When we have problems the main thing for me is to stay calm. I can be upset, I can be disappointed, but I need to analyse what we did wrong and I think we corrected it in the second-half. 

“We could improve a little bit and it’s a question of managing our anxiety. We are at the top of the table and must have confidence in ourselves.

“Just try to relax and stay calm. In my case I’m quite calm. I can be furious but it depends on the situation I remember I have to create solutions not give problems.

“I try to give solutions to my players. In terms of players it is a question of experience. They need to know we will have games like this one and will realise in a game we have done this, but we have to do that.

“We are not playing really well, but we have won a lot of good games. If you say we didn’t play well in the first-half, we did in the second. We played well against Norwich, but we have to be more consistent.”

For the second time in three games, a Darlow error proved costly for the Magpies, but Benitez indicated he will continue to put his faith in the 26-year-old.

He said: “He made a great save afterwards. The keeper has to deal with difficult balls and in this case we made a mistake and it’s something we have to improve. It’s not very difficult to analyse this situation and correct it.”

Benitez revealed top scorer Dwight Gayle could be in line for a return against Brighton tomorrow night, but the Newcastle medical team will continue to assess the striker, who has trained over the weekend.

The Spaniard will also go into tomorrow night’s first vs second contest with Matt Ritchie available after the wide man, who has been Newcastle’s best player of late, avoided a tenth yellow card of the season.

Having gone it at the break two goals down, the Magpies worked hard to get level through a Korey Smith own goal and an unorthodox finish from Ciaran Clark - and they could have won it through several late chances.

Benitez was pleased to see his men come back from behind, but admitted missed chances cost them two points.

“In other games we couldn’t create clear chances, but in this game I was confident once we scored the first goal,” Benitez said. “The negative thing is that we have to learn how to break down these teams that come here to play.”