NO REVERSE ON BENITEZ’S BUS

game, the assumption is that you are winning the mind games.”

Asked who he would choose to watch – Manchester City or United – on a day off, Benitez replied: “Newcastle Under-23s!

“Different style of football. Manchester City have a lot of possession. United are more direct.”

Asked about his rivalry with Mourinho, Benitez added: “He can change things and mix things up, but it depends on the players. I can try to do this, or that, or that – but if my players do not understand, then I cannot do it.

“If you have top-class players and you tell them, ‘I want to do this’. They can still do something different and win the game. Maybe they do it even better than you are planning.

“With these teams [like Newcastle], you have to prepare every single detail, and still they can make the difference with one thing that you are not expecting.”