RAFAEL BENITEZ insists Newcastle United’s promotion charge will not be decided by Tuesday night’s battle of the top two on the south coast.

The Magpies, who are still without striker Dwight Gayle, are looking to reclaim top spot by beating leaders Brighton and eradicate the point gap.

Newcastle face further away days at promotion chasing Huddersfield and Reading within the next eight days, so it is a crucial period for Benitez’s side.

But the Newcastle boss insists there will plenty more football to be played between now and the end of the season – regardless of the outcomes at the Amex, John Smith’s and the Madjeski stadia.

Benitez said: “On paper this maybe is the biggest game, but April we have seven games to play and that will be the crucial month.

“The reaction of the team was so good, we know we can do it. It is a question to bring back the confidence and doing things we were doing in the past. A team in our position has to have this confidence.

“I think they are fine. They know every game is important. They know we still have a lot of games to play. They have the information.

“Each one is reacting one way or another, my job is to keep giving them the right message that message is to keep doing things the same way. We are training well, we stick together, you have seen the reaction of our fans and we thank them for that. We have to keep going.”

But Benitez, whose side could only draw 2-2 with Bristol City on Saturday, knows Brighton will make it difficult on Tuesday.

He said: “We have a good record away. In some ways you can go there and show your strength and it is important to have the belief we can do it because we have all season.

“We think about trying to win away because of our record. In football you never know. If we win at Brighton the next will be easier. Let’s concentrate on Brighton.

“I said before that Chris Hughton is doing a great job, he has a very good team. A team that has been in the play-offs three times in last few years shows they have the experience and he has good players.”