Rafa Benitez claims Newcastle did not have the money to sign average players

Rafa Benitez claims Newcastle did not have the money to compete for players with other Premier League teams

Rafa Benitez says Newcastle do not have the money to compete with other Premier League teams and has called on fans to back the team.

Newcastle were beaten 3-0 by Watford at St James' Park on Saturday, and have lost their last four league matches with just only one goal scored.

The Magpies face West Brom on Tuesday evening - and Chelsea on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Premier League - and Benitez is desperate to ensure the club's losing run does not continue.

The Spaniard said: "Our reality is if you want to buy a striker that scores 20 goals every year then you have to pay £40m.

"An average striker is £15m, £20m, or £25m. If he kicks the ball forward it's £15m, if he scores it's £25m. We didn't do that and that's it.

"We need to know who we are, and where we are.

"It can be worse if we start questioning everything, the reality is the reality.

"You can lose against the top teams, we have to compete against Huddersfield, Brighton, or Burnley, but we couldn't sign players that they signed. We couldn't pay the wages that they paid, so that is what we have.

"I can tell you a couple of players in each team that maybe we could have signed, but we couldn't pay the wages, or we couldn't pay the transfer fee, or whatever.

2:53 Newcastle 0 - 3 Watford Newcastle 0 - 3 Watford

"That is a message for our fans - so stick together. We have to support our team, we have to support our players, so stick together."

"The top six teams are the higher wages - the top six are the top six in wage bills. The fans have to realise that it could be worse."

However, Benitez still remains confident that Newcastle will improve in the second half of the season, and get enough points to avoid relegation from the Premier League

He said: "We will be better in the second half of the season. We aim for 20 points in the first half of the season, so if we win some games in between, that will make things easier.

"A message for our fans - stick together. You see what we have and the players are giving everything. They can manage if we stay calm.

"We have to support our team; to support our players. If they make the worst mistake in football history, we stick together."

"What is our target? To stay in the Premier League. Nobody said it would be easy. I have confidence. Sometimes you will win, sometimes you will lose."