Rafa Benitez issues rallying call to Newcastle supporters ahead of Wolves clash

The Magpie Group, a group of supporters leading the protests against owner Mike Ashley, cancelled their planned boycott following the news of a potential takeover on Monday evening.

Benitez’s side are looking to secure their fourth victory of the season, where three points will lift them to six points above the relegation zone.

And the Spaniard, speaking in his United programme notes, believes a packed St James’s Park will give them the best chance of doing so.

“As I have said before, we are stronger when everyone is together and getting behind the team,” said Benitez.

“This group of players deserve your backing and I hope that, with the whole stadium together supporting the team, we can take three points.”

Wolves, 13thin the Premier League ahead of kick-off, travel to the North East on a high after beating Chelsea 2-1 in midweek.

As a result, Benitez expects a tough game against a side whose players possess bags of European experience.

The 58-year-old said: “Wolves are a good team, as they showed with their win over Chelsea in midweek.

“They have spent a lot of money and while they may have just been promoted from the Championship, they have players in the squad with experience of playing in the Champions League and at major international tournaments.

“They have quality and will have taken confidence from that victory at Molineux, so it is clear that it will be a tough afternoon for us and we must concentrate and be focussed if we are to break them down.”