RAFAEL BENITEZ thinks Newcastle United will not lose any focus after climbing to the top of the Championship in midweek.

The Magpies will face Ipswich Town at St James’ Park on Saturday and the aim is to stay ahead of the rest in their pursuit of a Premier League return.

Benitez does not think that taking over at the top of the table will affect his team’s approach, having had to deal with the favourites tag since the opening weekend of the season.

The Newcastle boss said: “It is fine. I was not worried about the table before and I am not worried now. The main thing for me is that everyone has the right mentality like they have in the other games. That’s it. Three points.

“I think for us to play at home is always the same, we have a lot of fans behind, it is a massive stadium, so it is more or less the same pressure. They don’t need to feel anything different. They just have to enjoy it and try to do well.

“It’s not a different challenge now. From the beginning a lot of people were saying Newcastle would be at the top, they would go up, every game is the same for us.

“Away or at home the fans are cheering the team. The other teams always put in extra effort to try to beat us. We are top of the table and we have to keep going.”

Newcastle have no fresh injury problems ahead of the visit of the Tractor Boys, but Chancel Mbemba is available after shrugging off his problem. He is likely to make a usual change or two, but won’t be making wholesale alterations to his starting line-up that started the win at Barnsley.

Benitez said: “We have to change players if it is necessary. We are sure that the players who are not playing are capable of playing.

“It is not a big difference for me to play one or the other. It depends on the team. The spirit is good, the momentum is there. Hopefully we can continue that for one month, two months and for the rest of the months.”

He added: “Ipswich is a team that does not score many goals, not conceding too many goals. It will be tough, they work hard and they will be physically tough. They are a Championship team that knows what they have to do, the counter attack. The manager is a good manager. He knows what is required.

“We have analysed the strengths and weaknesses and we will try to do the right things. Normally you try to impose a style on a game, but I think we will have to try to do the same things and approach the game mentally strong.”