Newcastle United boss Rafa Benitez insists the fixture list has done them no favours.

After a summer in which the club failed to make any significant investment in the transfer window, defeat to Arsenal means the Magpies have now equaled their worst start to a Premier League campaign.

When asked what his message to the supporters was, Benitez said: “The fans, they can see from the beginning the fixtures and say, 'Hmmm...'. I remember reading your comments, 'Hopefully we can win against Cardiff because it's an (important) game'.

“We drew against Cardiff, we could have won.

“But to lose against the top sides and to lose by this margin is something that everybody could have expected. But still we are not happy with that, for sure.

“It's something that we have to manage now and be sure that we keep the confidence and we keep working like we did in the first half."