VIDEO assistant referee (VAR) will be trialled at St James’ Park for the first time this afternoon when Arsenal head to Tyneside, with Rafa Benitez believing the technology is a step in the right direction.

Today’s game is one of five 3pm Premier League kick-offs that will stage a multi-match test of VAR, even though it will not influence the decision-making of the officials at St James’.

The officials will treat the match like a VAR game from the hub at Stockley Park, near Heathrow, but will not have communication with referee Lee Probert.

Premier League clubs voted against VAR being introduced this season back in April because they wanted to see how it was received at the World Cup first.

And Benitez, knowing there is likely to be another vote ahead of the 2019-20 season, feels it is a matter of time before VAR is introduced and he thinks it will be a good thing for the game.

“We have been talking about it for a while now. I think it’s right that you make less mistakes,” said Benitez. “The way to do it, the way to use it, is the key now.

“You cannot analyse every single problem and you have to be quick enough to be sure that you don’t stop the game. We were talking in Nyon about that and it’s quite dangerous if you don’t make a decision here and then you concede a goal there.

“After you do the review, it means you have to disallow the goal and go back. It’s quite complicated and very difficult, but you can see the stats and I’ve checked them for the World Cup and they were much better.

“The decisions were much better and you have more penalties. I think there were 20 in the other World Cup and 29 in the last one so that means nine more penalties because you have more control.

“The positive thing it brings is that even without making a decision you know that they are watching you. So bad tackles, you know that that they are watching. If it protects the good players, then I think it’s positive.”

Regardless of the decision making today, Newcastle could do with delivering a victory for the first time this season. Having only earned a point so far courtesy of the draw at Cardiff, the Magpies are sitting in a relegation place.

Arsenal under Unai Emery, a former Valencia and Sevilla manager who Benitez knows well, are a different proposition to the side which Newcastle defeated 2-1 in April but it is hoped that result can inspire the men in black and white.

Benitez said: “Hopefully after one week they will have more problems because that would mean that we have won, but if the results are good at the beginning then it’s easier because you can send your message across.

“They have a couple of defeats and if they have another one it will bring more pressure, but if they win it will be ‘ok, they are doing well’. In football, unfortunately now, it’s just about winning then you have more time to do what you want to do.

“You can change five or six players, but to find five or six starters at this level is not easy, because Arsenal are a very good team. To bring better players in and then play them is not easy, so he will need some time, but still he has a very good team.

“I think it’s totally different to April. Obviously, for us to play at home with the fans behind us is a boost for us and important for the confidence of the players. If they remember the April game then OK, we can do it.

“But it’s like I said before, Chelsea is an example. Every season is different, you change a manager, you change the moment when you play against them. Everything has changed.”

Having failed to win any of the four matches, Newcastle could do with the points – and defeating Arsenal would certainly ease any growing fears on Tyneside.

“If someone is falling down from the 23rd floor and someone on the 15th floor is watching him and he says he will die, so you know that he will die,” said Benitez.

“When we have a very bad start to the season with the fixtures that we have people say 'oh it's going to be very difficult for them' but we knew where we could be. Now I say we are realistic.

“It will be difficult - yes. Are we optimistic - yes. Can we do well - yes. Because I can see the team working and last year it was similar and we were getting better. So now will be difficult but, at the same time, I do think the only way is working hard."