RAFAEL BENITEZ admits his Newcastle United players have to prove they can handle the pressure of being at the top of the table as they prepare for the final nine games of the Championship season.

The Magpies remain at the head of affairs despite Saturday’s crushing 3-1 home defeat to Fulham, but their advantage over the chasing pack has reduced significantly in the wake of their fifth home reverse of the season.

Only goal difference separates them from second-placed Brighton, and their six-point lead over third-placed Huddersfield Town will be reduced to three if the Terriers win their game in hand.

Having impressed as they claimed seven points from a daunting away schedule that took them to Brighton, Huddersfield and Reading in the space of seven days, Newcastle’s players produced arguably their worst display of the season as Fulham cruised to a thoroughly merited victory.

Benitez was always fearful that Fulham had the capacity to surprise, but he accepts his side were badly off the pace and has challenged his squad to prove they can live up to their billing as promotion favourites in the games that remain.

“We have to learn how to deal with the pressures of being at the top if we want to stay at the top of the table,” said the Newcastle boss. “When you concede a goal at home and you know you have to perform, then it is normal to have a little bit of pressure. But that’s something we have to manage.

“We said before that if we want to stay at the top of the table then we have to manage these games better. We have to be sure we do not make mistakes.  If you are playing against a good team and you cannot create too much, then at least make sure you are strong enough defensively, and then you will not allow them to create or play on the counter-attack.”

Fulham’s counter-attacking capabilities cut Newcastle to shreds at regular intervals, with Tom Cairney’s first-half strike preceding a second-half double from 16-year-old winger Ryan Sessegnon.

The defeat meant Benitez was unable to enjoy his first anniversary as Magpies manager, with the pre-match chants of adulation aimed at his direction quickly giving way to a mounting frustration at Newcastle’s inability to match their opponents.

Having performed so creditably on the road, this was a return to some of the below-par home performances that have peppered the campaign, but Benitez is adamant his players are not developing a mental issue about playing on Tyneside.

Similarly, he denies that complacency was an issue at the weekend, even if he admits there will have to be a marked improvement when Newcastle return to action at struggling Birmingham City.

“We knew that if we were winning, people would say it was nearly done, and if we were losing, people would be saying it was complacency or whatever,” said Benitez. “That is just the way it is.

“When you have tried and have made mistakes, you have to analyse why. It is not as though the players were not trying in terms of effort. Sometimes, it is just the wrong decision, and that is something we have to improve.

“In terms of effort, you could see we were running and working very hard. When you are under pressure, and know you have conceded goals and you have to score and the time is against you, that is when you have to have more experience and character and make the right decision, and we didn’t do it.

“The key for me is to see the reaction of the team now. We have some time to work together and prepare the game at Birmingham.”

Having won at Craven Cottage on the opening day of the season, Fulham have now emulated Blackburn Rovers by completing the double over Newcastle. However, their boss, Slavisa Jokanovic, remains convinced the Magpies will be playing in the Premier League next season.

“I believe Newcastle will be a Premier League team,” said Jokanovic. “They play a different style of football. They are physical and a very strong team. We expected they were going to try to attack behind the full-backs, but we avoided this kind of situation. After 36 games, I am going to be really surprised if Newcastle don’t play in the Premier League.”