Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez has moved to quell any fears from fans regarding his own future and that of captain Jamaal Lascelles.

Lascalles has been linked Chelsea and Liverpool in recent weeks, whilst West Ham are supposedly keen on speaking to Benitez should they relieve Slaven Bilic of his duties.

However, Benitez told the Northern Echo that he does not envisage significant changes at the club in the near future. He said, "I don't see any big change now at the club as a whole. I am giving you my answer - I don't see any big changes at the club in January."

Yet, the speculation linking Lascelles away from St James Park has not gone unnoticed by the former Liverpool boss.

"I saw the links about Jamaal, but I have been talking with him and with more people around him. He's happy, he's OK and we think that he's a good player for us, so I don't see any big change in January around him, or anyone really,” he told reporters.

Benitez also moved quickly to distance himself from rumours that he may be considering an offer from West Ham. The Spaniard has history with the Hammers and spoke to the club regarding the vacant manager's role in the summer of 2015. However at the time, Benitez chose the slightly more glamourous offer of Real Madrid.

When quizzed about the possibility of speaking to West Ham once again, Benitez claimed his only concern is returning Newcastle to the Premier League.

He said, "I have a lot of respect for West Ham because when I was in contact with them, they were really good and professional. But I am really happy here and we carry on trying to win games.

“At the moment, I'm really pleased here. I'm not thinking about anything ... just winning against Wigan and getting promoted at the end of the season."

Newcastle travel to the DW Stadium on Wednesday night knowing that a win could return them to the top of the table after Brighton moved above them on Tuesday.

Benitez and the rest of the squad will be hoping they can build upon Saturday's 4-0 victory over Birmingham City, where top goal scorer Dwight Gayle netted a hat trick for the Magpies.

<section><h2>QUIZ: Which Footballer Are You When it Comes to Father-in-Law Situations?</h2></section><section><h2>Mario Balotelli</h2><p><div>You are the Mario Balotelli of son-in-laws! Who knows what you will do next, but one thing's for sure - it usually ends in disaster.</div></p></section><section><h3>Zlatan Ibrahimović</h3><p><div>You are the Zlatan of son-in-laws! No one dares to question your judgement or your place as the best in the world. And as for that father-in-law of yours... it's time for him to start worshiping Zlatan.</div></p></section><section><h3>James Milner</h3><p><div>You're the James Milner of son-in-laws! Always on hand to do the sensible thing, your rational thinking makes all parties happy.</div></p></section><section><h3>Roy Keane</h3><p><div>You're the Roy Keane of son-in-laws! The original psychotic footballer, you're a complete nightmare for anyone close to you and you have the shortest fuse known to man.</div></p></section><section><h3>Andrea Pirlo</h3><p><div>You're the Andrea Pirlo of son-in-laws! The coolest cat of them all, you're not only a joy to be with but you also deliver when it matters. </div></p></section><section><h3>Cristiano Ronaldo</h3><p><div>You're the Cristiano Ronaldo of son-in-laws! You're a bit of a diva and throw a tantrum when you don't get your own way, but you're nonetheless a superstar.</div></p></section><section><h2>It's Christmas morning and your father-in-law buys you tickets for a show that you really don't like. What do you do?</h2></section><section><h3>Your father-in-law invites you round for a family dinner at the same time that your football team are playing. What do you do?</h3></section><section><h3>Your father-in-law confides in you about an embarrassing secret. What do you do?</h3></section><section><h3>During an unexpected moment alone, there's an awkward silence between yourself and the father-in-law. What do you do?</h3></section><section><h3>Your wedding day is here and your father-in-law starts to make an impromptu speech. What do you do?</h3></section>



