RAFA BENITEZ insists there was nothing special about the clear-the-air dinner with Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley on Wednesday night.

Speaking for the first time since Ashley went to Ponteland’s Rialto’s restaurant with the Magpies boss and the players, Benitez has played down the significance ahead of Saturday’s visit to Manchester United.

It was only the fourth time that the Newcastle manager has met up with the club’s owner, who is understood to have indicated he does not intend to sell this season and that he wants Benitez to stay in charge.

Benitez said: “It was a pleasant dinner, that’s it. Everything that we were talking about will stay between us. Normally the clubs I have been at I have had dinners with the owner, it is common in football.

“I will not talk too much about that because we have an important game to play. It was a pleasant dinner, we spoke about everything and now we have to concentrate on football. The players were fine, everyone was relaxed and that’s it.

“It is very common in any team to have dinners with directors, staff the owners, the president, it’s very common. I don’t see the point to create something that was so normal.

"It was pleasant, fine. We have to concentrate on Manchester United. It was nice to have all the team together, that’s it. It was fine.”

He added :“I can understand the interest, everything that is going around, but I have to do everything to try to help the team improve and I am convinced 100 per cent we will stay in the Premier League.”

Newcastle are hoping the dinner is followed up by a first win of the season, with Benitez’s team sitting in the Premier League’s relegation zone ahead of the meeting with under pressure Jose Mourinho’s United.

Benitez said: “The mood is very good, I have been saying the same for a while. Since I was here the first year after the championship, these players train really well.

“We have some good days and some bad days. It’s quite positive. The training sessions are good. We play against top side, we have chances and everyone is focused on the game. We know how important every single game is.”

Newcastle will still be without Salomon Rondon at Old Trafford, while Paul Dummett and Federico Fernandez will be assessed but are expected to be involved.