Keeping the defence together will be key to progress at home and abroad, where Newcastle stand on the verge of a record if they keep another clean sheet in the Europa League tie in Lisbon.
So far they have shut out Anzhi and Metalist Kharkiv and they know that another shut-out would be a modern record.
James Perch: “It would be amazing to get the record.
“I didn’t actually know that, but it would be some achievement.
“To get a clean sheet in any form is impressive but to get five on the bounce in Europe is something else.
“It will be tough to do that because Benfica are a world class team.
“We’ve had some good results, played against some good teams and got through to a stage where it’s very serious now.
"I’m delighted we’re somewhere where a lot of fans can go. I’m sure we’ll take more than a few supporters.”
EUROPA LEAGUE
NEWCASTLE 1 ANZHI MAKHACHKALA 0 (Cisse)
Elliot, Santon, S Taylor, Yanga-Mbiwa, Haidara, Tiote, Sissoko, Cabaye (37' Gutierrez), Anita (71' Campbell), Marveaux, Cisse.
Subs: Harper, Perch, Bigirimana, Shola Ameobi, Obertan
ANZHI MAKHACHKALA 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Elliot, Simpson, Yanga-Mbiwa, Perch, Haidara, Cabaye (84' Tiote), Anita (75' S Taylor), Ben Arfa (64' Shola Ameobi), Marveaux, Obertan, Sissoko
Subs: Alnwick, Santon, Bigirimana, Campbell
METALIST KHARKIV 0 NEWCASTLE 1 (Shola Ameobi pen)
Krul, Simpson, Yanga-Mbiwa, Coloccini, Haidara, Sissoko, Anita (76' Perch), Cabaye (87' Bigirimana), Marveaux, Shola Ameobi, Cisse (75' Gutierrez).
Subs: Elliot, Gosling, Obertan, S Taylor
NEWCASTLE 0 METALIST KHARKIV 0
Krul, Yanga-Mbiwa, S Taylor, Coloccini, Santon, Obertan (62' Marveaux), Tiote (79' Shola Ameobi), Cabaye, Gutierrez, Sissoko, Cisse.
Subs: Elliot, Simpson, Anita, Perch, Haidara.
BORDEAUX 2 NEWCASTLE 0
Elliot, Tavernier, Williamson (74' Coloccini), Perch, Ferguson, Abeid, Bigirimana, Ranger, Marveaux, Sammy Ameobi (46' Anita) Shola Ameobi (80' Cisse)
Subs: Krul, Simpson, Romain Amalfitano, Campbell
NEWCASTLE 1 MARITIMO 1
Krul, Simpson, S Taylor, Coloccini, Santon, Marveaux, Bigirimana, Anita, Sammy Ameobi (76' Abeid), Ben Arfa (40' Ba), Cisse (50' Amalfitano)
Subs: Elliot, Williamson, Ferguson, Tavernier'.
CLUB BRUGGE 2 NEWCASTLE 2 (Anita, Shola Ameobi)
Krul, Anita, Williamson (58' Steven Taylor), Coloccini, Tavernier, Tiote, Sammy Ameobi (83' Amalfitano), Marveaux, Bigirimana (72' Cabaye), Obertan, Shola Ameobi
Sub: Elliot, Santon, Cisse, Shane Ferguson
NEWCASTLE 1 CLUB BRUGGE 0 (Obertan)
Harper, Perch, Santon, Steven Taylor, Ferguson 80 (Cabaye), Obertan, Tiote, Bigirimana, Anita 46' (Shola Ameobi), Sammy Ameobi 73' (Coloccini), Cisse
Subs: Krul, Ben Arfa, Ba, Campbell
NEWCASTLE 3 BORDEAUX 0 (Shola Ameobi, Henrique og), Cisse)
Elliot (Harper, 46 ); Simpson, Williamson, Perch, Ferguson; Anita, Tiote (Gosling, 71), Cabaye (Bigirimana, 61); Cisse, Ameobi, Obertan.
MARITIMO 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Elliot, Santon, Williamson, Perch, S Taylor, Gosling, Amalfitano (Ferguson 76), Bigirimana, Obertan (Marveaux 80), Vuckic (Sami Ameobi 53), Shola Ameobi.
Subs (not used): Harper (gk), Tavernier, Abeid, Campbell
NEWCASTLE 1 ATROMITOS 0 (Vuckic)
Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Ryan Taylor (11 Vuckic), Obertan, Bigirimana, Perch (59 Tavernier), Marveaux (91 Amalfitano), Gosling, Ba.
Subs: Harper, Cabaye, Cisse, Campbell.
ATROMITOS 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (R Taylor)
Harper; Tavernier, Williamson, Perch, R Taylor; Bigirimana, Anita; Obertan, Gosling (Amalfitano, 64), Marveaux (Gutierrez, 71); Cisse (Campbell, 77). Subs not used: Krul, Santon, Cabaye, S Taylor.