The Magpies’ cushion over third-placed Huddersfield Town will be cut to three points if the Terriers win at struggling Bristol City tonight.

Benitez’s side looked to have taken a major step towards a return to the Premier League after coming through a testing week undefeated – winning at both Brighton & Hove Albion and Huddersfield before picking up a useful point at Reading.

However, they slipped to a limp defeat at home to Fulham a week ago, and now only top the standings on goal difference.

But, ahead of tomorrow’s trip to out-of-form Birmingham City, the Spaniard insists his side will not be paying any extra attention to how their closest rivals are faring.

“It depends on us. If we do what we have to do, and keep winning games, it will be more difficult for the other teams. That is the priority for us,” he said.

“Obviously, we were very disappointed last week. We knew Fulham were a good team. They were doing well, but as I said after the game, we made too many mistakes, and we lost an opportunity to get three points. The good thing about this division is that you always have another game soon. We have one tomorrow, and next month we have seven, so we just have to think about the future.

“When you do so well against Brighton, Huddersfield and Reading, a lot of people were maybe expecting that it was nearly done. But, no – last week was a reminder that we have to carry on and keep working the same way we did before. It was a wake-up call to be sure that everybody is on their toes and ready.”

Opponents Birmingham have lost five of their last seven games in the Championship, and sit just six points above the relegation zone going into the weekend.

The two sides met twice in the space of the fortnight in the FA Cup in January, with United prevailing after a replay. Benitez, however, does not expect either meeting to have any bearing upon tomorrow’s clash.

“It has changed a lot since then. We had a lot of new players as well as players coming back injury, and it was the same for them – with some young players – so it will be totally different,” he said.

“It will be another challenge for us. They have some good players, some new ideas and a new system. Sometimes they play with four at the back, sometimes five at the back – they are trying to find solutions to the problems they have.

“If we play at the level we normally play, it doesn’t matter if it is away or at home. You have to approach any game against any team with the right mentality. You have to be sure that you do the right things from the beginning, you do not make too many mistakes, and you play at the level you want to play.”