AFTER a week when spying within the English game has become a huge talking point, Rafa Benitez will not be worrying about any uninvited guests monitoring how he does things in training – even if he is striving for a little bit extra from his players in the final third.

Only bottom club Huddersfield, who are searching for a manager following the departure of David Wagner, have scored fewer goals than the Magpies in the Premier League this season.

And Newcastle have struggled more at St James’ Park, where they have only managed seven goals in 11 matches which highlights why they are sitting in a relegation place after 22 matches.

Salomon Rondon is Newcastle’s top scorer with five and next in line is defender Ciaran Clark with just three, while Ayoze Perez and Joselu have netted four times between them to provide a further indication of how disappointing they have been in front of goal.

But Benitez insists not too much has to change in the way Newcastle are performing in an attacking sense, and he is focused on making sure his crop of players have what it takes to stay up this season.

The Newcastle boss said: “How many goals did Burnley score last year? Not too many. They finished seventh. What did they do? They didn’t concede. You can win 1-0 and 1-0 and be in seventh position.

“Doesn’t mean you have to score five goals in every game. Am I happy with the (number of) goals we have scored? No, obviously. I would like to score more goals, but I would like to win games scoring goals. It we cannot score too many, it’s also important not to concede.

“My teams score goals when we can score goals - 8-0 is a record in the Champions League - twice. I’m thinking to attack and keep the balance. Some people don’t understand that balance is not defensive.

“When you are attacking, you have to keep the balance. You can sustain the attack. When you cannot do that, you are exposed. I would like to win 3-0 every game, but sometimes we cannot.

“If we play a little bit better and create more chances we will score more goals. We scored four goals (against Blackburn). I would like to have 27 attempts every game, but sometimes you cannot. In our case, the fans know what’s going on and the history. It’s easier for them to accept sometimes we will be in a difficult position and the only way is to stick together.”

Newcastle know nothing other than a win will do today to climb out of the Premier League’s relegation zone, which would see them leapfrog Cardiff above them.

Benitez has at least been boosted to learn Jamaal Lascelles, Ciaran Clark and Fabian Schar are available despite injury scares, while Mo Diame could be called on for the first time since January 2.

But the performances of Sean Longstaff in the centre of midfield have given the Newcastle boss something to think about, particularly when he has resisted offers from clubs.

Longstaff was joined in the Newcastle team by academy graduates Callum Roberts, Jamie Sterry and Freddie Woodman at Blackburn in midweek, but Benitez is reluctant to throw too many in to the heat of a relegation scrap.

Benitez said: “It’s important to have players (getting to the first team) and I think the example now of Longstaff or Cal Roberts will be really positive for the rest of the lads there. They know now that if they do well, they will have a chance. It’s really important for any club to invest in their academies for this reason.”

Even though Newcastle are desperate for the points and an advantage against the Bluebirds and their opponents this season, Benitez is not about to go down the road of sending spies to monitor trainings sessions like Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa has been doing this season.

“I didn’t do it and we don’t need to do it now. You have everything (in terms of stats), but it’s common in some countries,” said Benitez. “I’m 100 per cent sure, yes (that he’s been a victim of spying). But I don’t care too much.”