MARTIN DUBRAVKA has become the latest player to offer a show of support to Rafael Benitez despite the Newcastle United manager having presided over his club’s worst ever start to a Premier League season.

Saturday’s dispiriting home defeat to Brighton made it nine league games without a win this term, and left the Magpies rooted to the foot of the table ahead of Saturday’s trip to Southampton.

The vast majority of Newcastle supporters continue to pin the blame for the club’s current plight on Mike Ashley, with the Magpies’ net spend during the summer paling into insignificance compared to the outlay of their rivals in the bottom half of the table.

However, there have been rumblings of discontent aimed at Benitez, whose position has increasingly been called into question in light of his continued refusal to discuss a contract extension beyond the end of the season.

Ashley talked with Benitez in the wake of Saturday’s game, which was the fourth match in a row the owner has attended after an absence of more than a year, and assured the Spaniard he has no intention of making a managerial change. However, that has not stopped the speculation mounting.

Jamaal Lascelles delivered a powerful endorsement of Benitez’s credentials in the wake of Saturday’s latest setback, and Dubravka has echoed his captain’s sentiments by insisting the Spaniard retains the undivided support of each and every member of the Magpies squad.

“We’re 100 per cent behind him, and he’s 100 per cent behind us,” said the Newcastle goalkeeper, who was unable to prevent Beram Kayal deflecting home Jose Izquierdo’s strike to claim the only goal of the game at the weekend. “It’s just speculation and just rumours.

“I don’t think it’s time to panic now as there’s still a lot of games in front of us. We can still take some points. I know that it can happen really soon, and if we can take some victories, the confidence will go higher.

“I have to say that all of us are behind each other, behind the manager. All the club are supporting us. I don’t think it’s time to speculate.”

These are testing times on Tyneside, with Newcastle’s off-field issues combing with an on-field meltdown to create a perfect storm of problems.

A win would at least shift the narrative in a slightly more positive direction, but while the Magpies dominated possession in Saturday’s game, they rarely looked like beating Mathew Ryan in the Brighton goal.

Creating chances was a major problem, and when an opportunity did arrive, Newcastle’s forwards lacked the composure to convert. As a result, Brighton were able to hold on to their first-half advantage with a minimum of fuss.

“We created a lot of pressure, especially in the second half, but they stayed in a block and it was really difficult to find a space to shoot on the goal or make some better chances to score,” said Dubravka. “Unfortunately, it was not enough.

“We didn’t have to say anything after the game because everybody knows we were the better team and deserved to win. Unfortunately, we didn’t score.

“It’s not only about the strikers. I don’t want to talk only about the strikers, it’s all the team. We need to create better chances to score, no matter how and who.”

Brighton’s winner was somewhat controversial, with the ball appearing to deflect behind off Solly March as the Seagulls midfielder battled for possession with Paul Dummett.

Referee Andre Marriner awarded a corner, and Newcastle’s players failed to prevent Kayal scoring what proved to be the decisive goal.

“We didn’t score, but we have to say we didn’t deserve to lose,” said Dubravka. “I think they only had one attempt on goal and scored.”