Newcastle boss plays down rivalry with Mourinho

Rafa Benitez has played down his rivalry with Jose Mourinho and is expecting a tough test when Newcastle face Manchester United at Old Trafford.

United have slipped to tenth in the Premier League following their 3-1 defeat by West Ham last weekend.

It is the club’s worst start to a season in the competition’s history, and has left Mourinho in a precarious position ahead of today’s fixture.

But Benitez, whose Newcastle side remain winless thiscampaign,isstillexpecting a difficult game against his old foe.

“I know my time in England I don’t remember any fragile Manchester United team,” said Benitez.

“They always have a good manager, good teams, they are really strong every year. I can see a team that people can expect to be higher. It’s a question of time.

“It’s like us. If you remember last year we were in the bottom three, and people were saying ‘Oh you are in the bottom three’.

“Who were in the bottom three? Those who didn’t didn’t spend that much money. That’s a normal situation.

“We are in a position where we could expect to be. The fixtures were difficult.

“I have to be realistic and optimistic. It’s a long running race, we finished tenth last year and we will look to carry on like we did last year.

“We will do our best to try to win the game and to score first.”

Mourinho and Benitez have had their differences in the past, dating back to their days at Chelsea and Liverpool, when the two clubs were involved in a series of high-profile Champions League fixtures.

The pair have made a series of critical remarks at one another ever since, but Benitez refused to be drawn on the Manchester United boss.

“It’s not my team. I am busy trying to improve my team,” said Benitez.

“I am not here to talk about him. He is a good manager, has a good team and we will try to get three points.

“Each manager is different, each team is different. I will just focus on what I have to do here.”