The final international break of the season is the perfect time for squads to gear up ahead of a final push for their respective season targets.
For Newcastle, no doubt you are already familiar with the situation, four points above the drop zone with eight games still to go.
But rather than being worried, it is time to start looking up.
And here’s why.
Already Benitez’s men have drifted out to 16/1 for the drop meaning the bookmakers certainly believe Newcastle will be playing Premier League next season with some of the best football free bets making backing the Magpies to stay in the division a no brainer.
But there is more to it than that.
There is a saying in stock market trading that the trend is your friend and the same can often be said of football.
If that is the case, then Benitez can rest assured that his side are safe after a few hiccups along the way.
Eight points collected in the league in the last five games is testament to that and optimism should be high with a top half finish not out of the question.
However, in order to do it, there are a few hurdles still to overcome.
Fixture List
By in large, the last eight games for Newcastle is one of the prime reasons why the Magpies safety is almost assured.
Home ties against Huddersfield and rock bottom West Bromwich Albion mean at least four points are assured taking our tally to the bare minimum of 36, but away trips to Watford and Everton also harbour opportunities to break the 40-point mark.
Not that we will need it.
35 points was enough to keep you up last season with Hull dropping out of the division with 34-points in eighteenth.
In 2015/16, unfortunately it was us who went down with 37 points in eighteenth.
However, just once in the last 14 seasons has a side needed to collect 40 points to stay safe (When Birmingham went down with 39-points in 2010/11).
With eight games to go, the trend is set for around the 35-36-point mark to be regarded as safe and with eight games to pick up a win and a draw with recent form strong, we can safely say it is time to hit the beach.
Off field problems not such a public issue
Behind the scenes the action may be intense, but it is amazing what a couple of wins does to silence the media.
Amanda Staveley’s potential take-over may well be rumbling on, but it is not being played out in the back pages like days gone past.
This has had a positive effect on all associated with the club with the burden of relegation all but gone.
At least we’re not West Ham
A moot point, West Ham have turned into us when we were at our worst but now the Hammers are making us look the model of consistency.
That can surely only be a good thing and as we prepare to face Huddersfield after the International break, it finally looks like things are on the up.