IF Newcastle United needed extra belief ahead of the Boxing Day trip to Liverpool then what happened at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday should have heartened them all.

If Crystal Palace can go to Premier League champions Manchester City and win then the Magpies can head to the home of the current leaders, Anfield, and do the same, can’t they?

There was certainly no hint that manager Rafael Benitez and team skipper Jamaal Lascelles are running scared.

In fact, even if there will be few expecting anything other than a home win after Newcastle’s turgid goalless draw with Fulham, the pair believe they can be the team to stun Merseyside by inflicting a first league defeat of the season on Liverpool.

Benitez said: “The Manchester City game, no one was expecting that, but as I have said, teams like Crystal Palace, the three up front, you can buy for £50m each one, so sometimes it can happen when you have good players to play counter attack.

“I still see Liverpool and Manchester City ahead of the others and Liverpool are in form, they are doing well and it will be a difficult game for us.”

Benitez will be back at Liverpool who he led to Champions league glory in 2005.

“I see a lot of friends and hopefully we can do well and I will be happy if we can get something,” said Benitez. “In terms of the city, people and the family, I like to go there and I would like to go there, enjoy it and come back with three points and wish them all the best for the rest of the season.

“We have to concentrate because we have a few days and we have to do everything right to prepare. We have a plan to beat them and if we do well and they make mistakes we can do it. With these top sides you have to do everything right and they have to have a bad day and then you have a chance.”

Lascelles, despite knowing only his last-ditch tackle prevented bottom club Fulham from winning at St James’ Park on Saturday, also thinks a surprise Newcastle win should not be ruled out.

“I don't look at other teams and say we could do it because they have,” said Lascelles, referring to City’s defeat to Palace. “I am confident in our team that we can beat anyone on our day. I have always said it. We just need to do it when we cross the white line. Liverpool are flying and they will be a very attacking team.

“Liverpool are a good side. Last year we drew 1-1 at home and they are flying at the moment. There is no reason why we can't go there and cause and upset.

“I am sure the gaffer will have a tactic that will trouble them and whatever he says we will do to our best. If we work hard, play with intensity and get in and around them there is no reason why we can't cause an upset.”

Lascelles has had to adapt his game this season. He has normally played in a four at the back but has found himself having to play on the right and, lately, in the middle of a three. That is likely to be his role again at Liverpool, even if he was not keen on that formation earlier in the campaign.

Lascelles said: “It is something that can be challenging for a player. We work on it in training and we are not really used to it. For three seasons here with the manager we have pretty much always been four at the back unless we play Man CIty away.

“The boys are adapting. The more we work on it the better we will get. We have not done it that much. But people have stepped in and done well. We have got a lot of support in depth at the back and people who are hungry.”

But given how much progress Liverpool have made in Jurgen Klopp’s three years in charge, everyone connected with Newcastle knows how difficult it will be to avoid defeat.

Even though Benitez led the Reds to champions of Europe in 2005, he is convinced Liverpool now have a squad capable of staying in the mix for the title and silverware for the long haul.

He said: “It is difficult to say a (Liverpool) team is better than another (Liverpool team of the past) because always on my mind when we beat Real Madrid and Barcelona, there was a great team.

“What I think is they have the best squad because when you spend money you bring in better players so when they sign Fabinho and Keita, spending some money, and they keep Henderson and Wijnaldum, you keep the good players and bring in good players, so the squad is better. That means different competition different games still you have a strong team on the pitch.”