DeAndre Yedlin lifts lid on mood in Newcastle's dressing room

This afternoon’s home game against struggling Bristol City is following by away games against promotion rivals Brighton and Hove Albion, Huddersfield Town and Reading.

Rafa Benitez’s side lead the Championship by a point after Monday night’s 2-0 win over Aston Villa. And Yedlin, signed from Tottenham Hotspur last summer, says the team is “excited” by the run of games.

“If you’re not excited about the next couple of months, then you shouldn’t be playing,” said Yedlin. “We’re all very excited, and we’re all very focused.

“Hopefully, we’ll get a win against Bristol, and then the whole thing will roll on until the end of the season.”

Benitez has told his players never to look beyond the next game.

Asked about the away fixtures, Yedlin sad: “It’s obviously in the back of our heads, and it’s not easy to blank out that week of games.

“But one of the things that Rafa keeps preaching to us is that we have to focus on this game, because it is not going to be easy.

“If we’re not focused on this, then they can catch us cold and hurt us. There are no easy games in this league, so if you’re not properly focused you can come unstuck.”

On United manager Benitez’s vast experience, Yedlin added: “He’s a great guy to go into battle with.

“He has a wealth of experience from years of managing in high-pressure situations. He preaches the right things to us, and we try to follow.”