SAM ALLARDYCE has backed Rafael Benitez to turn things around at Newcastle United – particularly if Amanda Staveley’s bid to buy the club is successful and he is handed money to spend next month.

Allardyce worked under Mike Ashley when he first took control at St James’ Park ten years ago and then he was the first Magpies manager to be sacked by the sportswear tycoon soon after.

Now the Everton boss, who led the Toffees to a 1-0 victory on Tyneside courtesy of a 27th minute Wayne Rooney goal, is an interested outsider while negotiations between Staveley and Ashley continue.

It is understood Staveley and the PCP Capital Partners investment group she represents are close to reaching an agreement over a fee for the club, somewhere around the £300m mark which could tempt Ashley into a sale even if it is lower than his initial £400m valuation.

The Dubai-based financier, originally from Ripon, North Yorkshire, is understood to have upped a £250m which had also included a number of clauses after a meeting at a London curry house last week.

Benitez, whose side are now just a point above the bottom three, are in desperate need of squad improvements during next month’s transfer window but he remains unclear as to whether he will be given the financial backing and from where.

Allardyce said: “He (Ashley) wants to (sell), so if Mike says he wants to then if a buyer meets that demand then he steps down, then a new regime or consortium steps in and can hopefully deliver the sort of money you’re expecting.

“There’s a lot of people who come to make money in the Premier League now, because you can make money. If Newcastle gets a new owner, then Rafa has a very track record of the clubs he’s been at before being very successful, and he’s spent money pretty well.”

Staveley, 44, and the daughter of Robert Staveley, who owned the Lightwater Valley theme park, helped Sheikh Mansour buy Manchester City in 2010. She also tried to buy Liverpool and is behind the PCP Capital Partners bid.

If successful, and it is widely believed an agreement is close which would enable money to be used on transfers even if the actual sale would not go through until next year, Benitez would expect backing.

Benitez said: “I don't have any information. I need to know how much money we will have for January as soon as possible, that is it but I have no information.”

Newcastle played reasonably well against Everton but lacked the cutting edge to break down Everton and force themselves level after falling behind to Rooney’s goal.

Benitez said: "I think that I have the same feeling that all the fans will have. The team started well, we had chances, we were on top of them, we had the game under control, then we made a mistake and struggled a little bit.

“But then to manage the second half against a team that was wasting so much time, it was difficult to manage this situation.

"I think we hit the crossbar and the post, we were a little bit unlucky but still we are making mistakes that are costing us points.

“The only thing we can take as a positive is the way we approached the game, and the effort but the final result is a negative. It is difficult to accept and understand. We have to make sure the players aren’t down for too long as we prepare for the next game.”

The error he was talking about was when Karl Darlow failed to hold Aaron Lennon’s header and then Rooney reacted first to score. In the dying seconds Jonjo Shelvey was then red carded for a second bookable offence, meaning he misses the games with Arsenal and West Ham.

Benitez said: "He knew it was a difficult counter attack, so he went to the floor (and tripped Idrissa Gueye). When you don't have control, it is difficult. We will miss him, but we have to manage."

He added: "The point is that we had two or three situations in which we could do better and get a draw. But we have to learn how to draw, because that's when we can start learning."