Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez says his side need to prove they can be the “head of the mouse” in the Championship this season. Furthermore, the Spaniard also added that everyone at the club has to realise how competitive the Championship is.
The Magpies were relegated from the Premier League last term and have, according to an old Spanish phrase, therefore moved from being the “tail of the lion” to the head of the mouse.
Wolves are the opposition once again at St James's Park on Tuesday in the EFL Cup and Benitez was in a philosophical mood at his post-match press conference.
"Sometimes you prefer to be the tail of the lion or the head of the mouse," he said.
"When you are in the Premier League and you are at the bottom you are the tail of the lion.
"Some people are happy being the tail of the lion, but some prefer to be the head of the mouse so you are the top, and then you are strong enough, and you are there.
"What we want to do is show that we are strong enough, that we can manage games. And if we make mistakes we carry on, because there are a lot of games to play.
"Everyone - staff, players and fans - have to realise that it is a tough competition and we have to be consistent."
Newcastle have certainly spent a great deal of money assembling their mouse head, with over £50 million forked out in transfer fees over the summer.
The arrivals of Dwight Gayle, Matt Ritchie, Grant Hanley, Ciaran Clark, DeAndre Yedlin and Mohamed Diame, among others, making them, along Aston Villa, the teams to beat.
However, it is David Wagner's Huddersfield side that are leading the way in the second flight, with six wins from their opening eight games.