Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez cautiously optimistic over thawing relations with Mike Ashley

Benitez however stressed that he will reserve judgement on the longer-term ramifications of the very public charm offensive mounted by the Newcastle owner

Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez looks on (Getty)

Rafa Benitez has given a cautious welcome to the thawing in his strained relationship with the Mike Ashley, but the Spaniard stressed that he will reserve judgement on the longer-term ramifications of the very public charm offensive mounted by the Newcastle owner.

While being the kind of event that is rather more commonplace at many of their Premier League rivals, the Ashley-instigated team-bonding get-together this week was of far greater significance at a club where its two leading figures have spoken face-to-face less than half-a-dozen times during the manager's two-and-a-half-year reign.

Wednesday night's meal at an Italian restaurant on the leafy outer reaches of the city was the latest significant step in the Sport Direct tycoon's response to a winless start to the season, one which leaves the Tyneside club off the foot of the Premier League only on goal difference. After failing to attend a game for 16 months, Ashley is set continue his new hands-on approach by taking his seat in the directors' box for the third consecutive match when Newcastle face Manchester United at Old Trafford in Saturday's early-evening kick-off.

After seeing too many promises broken during his tenure, Benitez remains to be convinced whether there is substance to the spin of the past week or so. Much will rest on the kind of backing he receives in the January transfer window when major surgery could well be required to head-off the threat of a third relegation during Ashley's 11-year watch. However, asked if some good can come of their informal summit, Benitez replied: "Yes, I think so.

"It was his (Ashley's) idea to try to support the team, to support the manager. Doing something like that is very common, a lot of teams do it, have lunch or dinner together with the president, it's nothing special. Normally it’s positive. If he wants to come to games and to the training ground I don’t see any negative in that but we have to go to January knowing what we can do, because it's a difficult window. Maybe we can fix things, improve, and see if can go in the right direction.”

During what Benitez described as a 'pleasant' meal, along with settling the £2,500 bill, Ashley confirmed to the players that despite the club being on the market for the past 12 months, he had no intention of selling this season. He even offered the incentive of a holiday for the squad should they avoid relegation, though Benitez was unwilling to reveal the potential destination.

“What we talked about during the dinner is between us," he added. "It was informal." There were no discussions over the future of the former Liverpool manager, whose current Newcastle deal expires at the end of the season. "It was positive to see him in a more informal setting but I don’t see why it is so important what we have as our first plate," he said. For the record, it was seafood risotto for Benitez, a sturdy spag bol for his employer, but it will clearly take more than a marinara to win Benitez over.

While his instinct may not fully concur, outwardly, Benitez wants to believe Ashley has turned over a new leaf, and in a generally positive press conference, perhaps the Spaniard's only off-message moment came unwittingly, when he name-checked a major rival of House of Fraser, the chainstore recently acquired by Ashley in a £90m deal which rubbed salt into the wounds for Newcastle supporters in the wake of a summer transfer window when the club made a £20m profit.

Newcastle hope to secure what will be only a second victory in 25 visits to Old Trafford in the Premier League area as they look to lift themselves out of the bottom three before the latest international break. Self-belief is becoming an issue for a squad who have appeared bereft of it in recent matches, and as he prepares to give a first league start to the Japanese forward Yoshinori Muto, Benitez added: "I'm convinced we will stay in Premier League. One win will put a whole different slant on things, but we know that you can’t go out and buy confidence on the fifth floor of John Lewis."