About the only thing he will be signing....

Rafa Benitez said after the game:

"It's always important to have young players involved, It's an opportunity.

"I have to be fair, because Callum (Roberts) and Victor (Fernandez) were playing as full-backs and they are wingers, but we needed to be sure that we had enough legs in each position. They did well.

"You will ask me about (Sean) Longstaff as he scored a goal, and (Josef) Yarney did well in defence also. It was positive for them and us, because we gave them an opportunity, and they did well.

"The main thing with young players is that they have to be focused and humble and keep working, and he (Longstaff) did that.

Of rather greater consequence though were his comments to journalists hours earlier:

"We have to fix a target to stay up. That is it. Concentrate on staying up, and after that, see where. It will be more difficult than last year. You don’t know, because we finished tenth this year, we can be in the middle next season — because everyone is spending.

"The reality is the Premier League is difficult and every year the others spend money and bring new players. Fulham, Wolves are spending. Huddersfield, Brighton everyone is spending making it more difficult. So the target will be to stay up.

"100%, it is harder to stay up this season. Fulham and Wolves have come up and have big money.

“When you talk about the market, you know what offers they are making. They will be stronger at the beginning than Huddersfield and Brighton. Brighton and Huddersfield are already in the Premier League, they are spending some money. Then you see West Ham, they are spending some money.

"(we need to) see if we can find some players at the right price. It is not ideal but we will try to manage the best way possible. 

"I was expecting maybe something different but we will manage what it going on and try to be sure that we bring the best players possible with the conditions we have, and try to improve the squad.

"I hope I can still strengthen the squad. I have been trying hard for two months to be sure we have players to bring on loan.

"If you don’t act quickly then you lose the opportunity, and the next player is more difficult, and the next maybe doesn’t have the same quality.

"I have to just concentrate on bringing the best players for the squad. I don’t do the numbers. I don’t control the numbers. I know my numbers, but it is not my job to do accounts. The owner decides the money available and that is it.

"Mike (Ashley) said ‘every last penny’ was available in the Press. I don’t do the numbers, so I don’t know exactly what it means. We are fine in terms of profit. Maybe you have to ask this question to Lee Charnley. He has the numbers.

"I am trying to do my best in these conditions, that’s what I can say. We were talking about the situation at this time. After, we were talking about numbers and the possibility of an extension.

"But I don’t think an extension is an excuse for anything. If you sign a one-year extension, what does that mean for the players you sign on a five-year contract? It’s nothing. It’s not an issue.

"A lot of clubs have managers, they finish a contract but still they improve the squad to be sure they are better. Historically, you see the spending of different clubs and this one. I don’t think it’s an issue.

"But I am trying to bring the best players for the club. But we have a scouting department and everybody is working together. 

"Still, I don’t think it’s an issue with my contract. I told Mike and Lee and Justin (Barnes - Sports Direct employee with strong influence in club affairs). 

"They know that, if we do the right things, then I am keen to stay here for five years or whatever, but they have to do things in the way that, for me as a football professional, there is a way to do things and we have to be sure that we do that.

"If you want to sign an extension for a lot of years, the main thing and the first one has to be the Academy, for example. Then all these things, you have everything in place. 

"I am really pleased with the fans, city, the atmosphere at the games, the staff are professionals, everyone. We have all the potential to grow and to be a top side, a proper top side.

"I need to talk with Lee (about when contractual negotiations will resume). The last conversation was: ‘Oh, we can talk’, but I think it is more important to be sure that we do the right things now and then after we have plenty of time to talk about that.

"Again I would say that my contract is not an issue. I am doing my best and a lot of managers, they finish a contract and still the clubs are investing and trying to improve the squad.

"Forget about [if I will get more money if I sign a new contract]. We have to concentrate on keeping the same atmosphere that we had last year, a team that really cares and worked really hard. And then trying to improve the squad, bring in more players and have more competition.

"I read your newspapers and I know that the fans are clever; our fans, they understand the situation. Everybody is expecting that if we can compete, can be stronger, then Rafa will be pleased and then is happy here. I don’t think that the fans don’t know the situation.

“I will try to do my best and then hopefully, in a few weeks, things can be better and then we can keep talking. I think they understand clearly the situation, We will see at the end of the window how well we did. We are working to add players to improve the squad.

"Every manager wants something more. I am happy with the three players we have signed. We have more or less a similar team to what we had last year. Now we have to keep growing and improving. I have tried to do my best - but we will see later on."