CHEERS JAMAAL, BUT RAFA PLAYS IT COOL

improve seems to share Rafa’s relentless attitude.

It is 17 years since Newcastle had three wins on board this early in the season.

In their previous Premier League season it took Steve McClaren’s side until November 9 to get to nine points.

Crucially, the win gives Benitez breathing space and allows other clubs to wallow in the crisis spotlight.

His squad may not have been stocked with the renewed quality and quantity of players that he demanded in the summer.

But Benitez says that “fight” is postponed, and it is time to concentrate on coaching.

He was back in the dugout after missing a game following a hernia operation and this was just the tonic. It took his competent team 21 minutes to grab the lead when the excellent Matt Ritchie provided the first of two assists.

The Scotland international pinged a brilliant ball to the back post where Christian Atsu crashed home.

For the next 40 minutes the Magpies dominated and should have been four up.

But ex-Stoke striker Joselu, sold to the Toon in the summer for £5million, had left his shooting boots at home.

Three times he was one-on-one with the keeper. Three times he missed – slotting wide, Jack Butland saving, and then sending a volley into the sky.

The missed opportunities gave Stoke, moribund for large spells, hope and Xherdan Shaqiri pounced. He collected a loose ball and burst goalwards past Atsu to curl home from 25 yards. A cracker.

But this Newcastle side appear to have some resilience and character.

They responded, upped their game and were back ahead on 68 minutes.

Lascelles is the youngest skipper in the top flight but leads with a confidence and belligerence that his team-mates follow.

Ritchie joked last week that it took him a year to pick out Lascelles with a corner for him to score.

Well, after his heroic header which won the game at Swansea, Lascelles was on the mark again. It was carbon copy. The ball teed up eight yards out and Lascelles rising to the bait.

Stoke boss Mark Hughes said: “When you play teams like Newcastle who show us respect, we have to be a little bit better.

“We were better in the second half, we had a real opportunity.”

Benitez said: “We had to approach the game with the mentality that we did.

“We had to be strong in defence and create in attack. The game plan was clear.

“This is the time the fans have to enjoy. The players and the staff have to enjoy a little bit less!”