RAFAEL BENITEZ has never said the Championship would be easy, but it’s safe to assume he didn’t want his very first game managing at this level to highlight the reasons why.

Fulham, displaying all the hallmarks of a well-drilled second tier team under Slavisa Jokanovic, stunned the country and Craven Cottage, by proving promotion will not be guaranteed after a summer of spending under Benitez' watch.

Fulham's Kevin McDonald (left) and Fulham's Ayoze Perez battle for the ball

He might have been managing Real Madrid this time last year, he might have been the man to lead Liverpool to Champions League glory in 2005 and he might be the man that everyone on Tyneside wants in charge, but this is what life in the second tier of English football is going to be like.

Benitez may also, come next May, be the man that has led Newcastle United back to the Premier League; after all this is only the first of 46 games and defeats were always going to come along for the Magpies.

But after spending approaching £50m already – offset by the sales of Georginio Wijnaldum and Andros Townsend among others – Newcastle’s players were given an early indication of what it is going to be like this season.

Fulham were full of intent and determined to mix it with the promotion favourites and, courtesy of a lapse in concentration defensively from a set-piece from new skipper Jamaal Lascelles, earned the lead on the stroke of half-time through the head of Matt Smith.

In truth, even if they could have had a couple of penalties for handball, Newcastle didn’t do enough in the final third to deserve an equaliser. There were a couple of efforts, but nothing too serious.

Perhaps it will be the wake-up call required for all the dressing room, because every team Newcastle face this season will be hungry to upset them.

Jokanovic, Fulham’s former Watford boss, was quick to point out how “strong” the Newcastle squad is in his first match-day programme notes of the season. It is all well and good being labelled the main men of the division, the challenge is to deal with it and live up to the task.

Benitez attempted to orchestrate the perfect start by naming five of his summer recruits from the start.

While Matz Sels, Grant Hanley, Isaac Hayden, Matt Ritchie and Dwight Gayle all made their competitive debuts for the club, there was no place in the squad for Mohamed Diame and Ciaran Clark after completing moves on Thursday. Jesus Gamez, an arrival from Atletico Madrid, made the bench.

There were a few other notable absentees too, with Moussa Sissoko back on Tyneside and there was no spot either for Yoan Gouffran and Cheik Tiote; three players all expected to leave before the end of the month.

It was about making bright starts and laying foundations for the future, and to be fair to Fulham it was them rather than Newcastle who did that in the opening half.

They pressed hard and pushed forward when they could without testing Sels in the visitors’ goal until the opener.

The best chance during the first 20 minutes fell to Newcastle. Vurnon Anita, again playing on the right, played a perfect over-the-top pass for Ayoze Perez to run on to.

The Spaniard’s first touch brought it down and as he bore down on goal he was shoved to the floor by brilliant full-back Denis Odoi, who collected a caution for the honour. That was all as Perez’s free-kick was wasted, summing up a night when he regularly turned into trouble.

While it was not quite David and Goliath given the spending difference, the expectations placed on the shoulders of Newcastle’s new team were certainly not helped by Fulham’s preparations.

Jokanovic might be looking for a positive campaign, but having lost 24 players – including 40-goal pair Ross McCormack and Moussa Dembele – it should take the Cottagers time to settle in.

What played into Fulham’s hands was how Newcastle regularly curled balls towards the forwards in the air and a diminutive forward line – consisting of Gayle, Ritchie, Perez and Anita – found it hard to control.

They should have had a helping hand, literally, ten minutes before the break. Ritchie’s centre from the left was heading for the penalty spot when it hit the arm of Ryan Tunnicliffe and went for a corner.

His arm was high, nowhere near his body and it should have been a spot kick but referee Simon Hooper waved it away.

Other than that, though, much of the play had been between the two boxes with neither Sels nor Fulham goalkeeper David Button seriously tested.

Sels had almost cost his side dear before Smith’s headed goal.

Sone Aluko, the former Hull man, wriggled through and when his hopeful effort bounced in front of the keeper, the £4.5m signing from Gent spilled it and fortunately Hanley was on hand to clear with striker Smith close by.

Sels was not to blame for the goal though. Just a week after Newcastle showed they were susceptible to conceding at set pieces against Vitesse Arnhem, they did it again.

Tom Cairney, effective throughout for Fulham, sent over a corner and the giant figure of Smith was left totally free by new captain Lascelles to turn a lovely header beyond Sels with a minute remaining of the half.

Had someone been on the far post, he might have cleared.

Instead Fulham started the second half in front, which was not what was supposed to happen and the huge travelling support had been silenced. There was work to be done by Benitez and his team, but there was a sense a change was needed.

He swapped Ritchie to the right and asked Anita to go left, with Perez operating further forward. Within eight minutes of the restart Ritchie’s charge into the box to meet Anita’s delivery almost earned the equaliser but Button was equal to the Scotland international’s low shot.

Perez didn’t do much else after that either, so he was replaced by local talent Adam Armstrong for the final 20 minutes, just moments after Scott Malone had gone close to doubling Fulham’s advantage.

Jokanovic promised an organised team and that is what Newcastle came up against and they looked more likely to add to their lead rather than conceded for much of the second half.

There was another penalty claim for handball waved away when Tomas Kalas, who spent last season with Middlesbrough, blocked Ritchie’s goalbound drive with his tucked in arms, but Newcastle just never had enough in them to break Fulham down.

And with chants of ‘we’re top of the league’ coming from the home fans at the Cottage rather than the visitors, Benitez’ attentions will immediately turn to the visit of Huddersfield to St James’ Park … when he can expect another tough battle, this time against the Terriers.

HOW TWITTER REACTED:

Getting out of the championship is not going to be easy as people think. #NUFC — robert gilder (@RobertGilder83) August 5, 2016

The Rafa honeymoon period is over long way to go but he set up not to lose tonight left Shelvey out and it backfired. #NUFC — Jamie Mckay (@JamMckay1989) August 5, 2016

#NUFC not great tonight, but with 2 home games to come it will give us a better look where we at. But our away form HAS to improve — Dezy Ward (@DezyByers33) August 5, 2016

You need grit and determination in your team to be successful in the championship. Tonight we lacked that in abundance. #NUFC — Andy Armstrong (@ArmstrongAndy93) August 5, 2016

Disappointing result but Fulham fully deserved it. Need Mitro back and a new creative midfielder. Plenty of games left though! #nufc #ffc — James Rose (@jamesrose91) August 5, 2016