Leicester City vs Newcastle United: Rafael Benitez focuses on positives after King Power reverse

Leicester City 1 Newcastle United 0

Rafa Benitez watches on the side-lines at Leicester (Getty)

New Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez insisted he wants to focus on the positives after losing his first game in charge.

Shinji Okazaki's overhead kick secured a 1-0 victory for Leicester, who moved five points clear at the top of the Barclays Premier League, on Monday.

Defeat at the King Power Stadium left Newcastle a point from safety ahead of Sunday's key north east derby with fellow strugglers Sunderland, who sit 17th.

Benitez replaced Steve McClaren on Friday and believes, even in just three days, he can see enough to suggest the Magpies can survive.

He said: "I would like to think about the positives. The team was going for the game and the team reacted well in the second half, we were pushing. That is, for me, the positive thing.

"There are things we need to analyse and do better. We had good team spirit, everything was there we just need to correct the little things.

"I thought we could have got a result. I was convinced we could do it. The tempo Leicester have it's hard for any team. I will take the positives from this game. You could see the passion in a lot of players.

"Every game will be important for us. We know it is a derby and how important that will be for everybody."

Newcastle have now gone 270 top-flight minutes without scoring away from home and Aleksandar Mitrovic failed to justify his place in Benitez's starting XI.

Jack Colback and Ayoze Perez were off target during a quick start from the visitors and Benitez conceded they had been wasteful.

He added: "We had two good chances and Leicester played the game they liked to play. It was difficult. But this team had chances with (Moussa) Sissoko and we could get a goal against a good team.

"To be fair they are playing with a very high tempo. I am happy with the players and those from the bench. They tried everything."

Leicester go to Crystal Palace on Saturday, the final game before March's international break, and boss Claudio Ranieri insisted he still refuses to look at the table.

Okazaki's fifth league goal of the season won the game after Tottenham had cut the gap at the top to two points with their 2-0 win at Aston Villa on Sunday.

Ranieri said: "No I don't look at the table, I look at the next match, Crystal Palace. Alan Pardew (Palace boss) was upstairs to watch us, it's another tough match.

"We want to enjoy and want to continue, our fans are dreaming and are so proud of us.

"The fans must dream and we must work. I'm pleased with our spirit. We played our match and we won three points. At this point of the season, the points are important, not how you play.

"Now it's important to stay calm. All the city is behind us pushing, we must stay calm and enjoy. It was a difficult match but we won. I know we played better against Aston Villa or West Brom but we drew both the matches."

PA.