Promotion is the only priority for Newcastle, says boss Rafa Benitez

Newcastle's only priority is promotion and winning the Sky Bet Championship title would simply be a bonus, according to Rafa Benitez.

The Magpies sit second heading into the Easter weekend, and could be five points behind Brighton by the time they play on Good Friday.

Benitez's side host play-off chasing Leeds at St James' Park, live on Sky Sports 1, and the Spaniard says their focus is solely on a top-two finish.

"We are where we are because we have done something right, and the priority is just to go up," he said. "If we finish first, then all the better, but we just want to play as well as we can. We must win our games and then we see."

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Benitez also reserved special praise for his opposite number on Friday in Garry Monk, who has steered Leeds into the top six after years of under-achievement at Elland Road.

"He has done a great job. I think he is a good manager. I could see at the beginning of the season - when they were under pressure - that still he was doing well, improving, and winning a lot of games in a row, and they are in a good position now because of that," he said.

"We did really well against Leeds in the first game. Hopefully we can play at the level we used to play - especially when we played against them.

"The last two games at home, we won - (people were saying), 'Oh, they were difficult games' - yes, but we won. I think we have a clear idea - we have to give everything to try and win this game. It doesn't matter the name of the other team."